
KATHARINE PYLE 
LAURA SPENCER PORTOR 




Class. _7*Z -7-- ^ 

Book ■ ,'T^ffl f) 
CopyiightN? 


COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 


tr- 




■i 

• ^ ► 

• * 


► I 






.^' \V '*^-‘ 


V.V-. ■ vft?' i' v^' 


^ 

* 


c>.v^ H^..- ' '^^; 

-i ' - \. t^- ■: ^ -■ J '-iili V\ ' 

I*.'. ii > •< •‘■'-^ -ia- ' .' . *• ■* W -! • 4 *• ■ 

y*. . .' *, 


« 'I 

'I 


ik ^1'^ 


- 








i-. -r . ■■- 


.;>—■' V-"V ■■'-«■. r^‘’ 




*A# T 


s 


w 


% 

v>. 

#« 


»» •• 


T- 


•-■ ''! - * <-• - 


^ T: 




V.-. 

/• 


•V A 

« 




^ V* 



^^73F■,'2i.■ ' 'nki 

• ...:^ mV-V*' V- ^ --rT^ 

.riLk • LW2 




-; , 'lCr^^lCv.>T« •- - . 


'-A'*.- ■.v^i' ^ 




K 


»!f 

* >*. 


• ^ V 


... |,. ■ 


/ 


?. 4 .. t'- * #i • ' ' 



P'.. i» ip*i5?5i 

; > . ‘w •* K ^-.' .^-;*-^^i' 


• 4 

r 

f 


. I •'k 'J# n ••.V »«•**•• 1 -. «• 

V-’*\ 




r'-- .. 


* \ 
f 


v; 


» . 


*- ' • 


» i t-^ 

•< 


^ s 


■'■ t 


..'*.• /- Vf - - . * A- ':■ mW'. :} 


I 
« 

• • • y 




. ' ■ 


fe 


>::v-^ 


, y 

.i': 


••_j 


« ^ 




.s 

•4 


y 


. ^ 

V . ^ • 

’ ' .'i- 


iv 


I . ' 





J * r* 


' 1 . f*-"' 


r i 


'- > •'■'■^ ',: 4.- >■ , , %: >5Vr 

Si ■ ' • -'^j: 




^ .. 


. < 

j >. 


j 


. I' ^ 


;-\\r. 



>•^5 


♦“I 


•% 5?1 iotik 







yi\W&i ' ■.<^fe- ,'. ' '•■ -r ■- -.a., •'lll^"''-: ,v 

..‘T** ••?*-*•>;■ - - * ' .'. • ' ,. *' ' H •■ 4 4k’ -1 ■ ' 

• /■. ' ■ VtV 4r •• . . 






r ■• ^'r 

''V'V '. , *t\ ■ 

-V .^..^ .^•:jt'’rti^f '.' \ >■/ *-> .’ ' 

r^^': ', X ‘ ^ W\‘^Tr .. r-.rV ''v- - - 

'^'' ’ •r‘> . C'.;: /*■• 


’* !-.',<1 . 

'r 

. \ 


J 

< , 




« 


?ri. "n-C, ‘ ■ i'.': ■-' , 

...■►• « 





V.iy 


- ! 




‘*9%''’ 



5» 


. ^ 




• - >• 


' . r 





a"--' - ...' ; ^ 






.... •■ 

-i > V-*" 


..••a-;.' 


« '« 


S . . , . 

’- ■ ' 




• * ^ 




*.• 


' r' 


, >4 


'- 'A 7 J' > 


.^' 


"4 


*\> , • ‘ > » / ■ ’ 













iTvj^ •'• ^ » ■iiitt - ^ f* j ■ 

i . 3. ■ 


•; 




!•« 


-'4. 





». ,# 


.4.‘ ; 




,v' 


\. 


ri f •*'' - J'>** , * «* 

■ '■^-. .'' V; ... • 

. * - 4 . ’ ' » r 'J* <_*• • ^ t'' •.'■•,* • * ' ^ 


' I * 1 “*^ ' • .' 

‘* K.k V.. ' . < • 


« * 


»\‘ 4 - • 


.<• 


*-▼ ' / ' '1 

«• <. V.- • i %' 






^4 


^ t 


* ^ 








f 


V 


\ 


I 




f 





t 


t 

/ 


t 


» 


f 

• » 


t 


I 



■ y 0 

I • ■ 


- ’ > 

> . 

1 • 

. I 

» 

t 

'< I 


■ 


V 




I 




THEODORA 

0 




I 


i 

1 


0 

' % « 


, , . I . 


f ' 

\ 

t 

J 

. ' V, • 


i 

) 




» 


4 


f 1 

% 

/ 

. ♦ 




» « 







Vv 




\ • 


4 ^ 

t 







« 


1 




\ *z 


» • 


t 


o 


« 




c 

I < 






« 

i 


i 


I 


I 


t 


4 




^ V 



“ She settled herself in a large arm chair with a rig 

PICTURE BOOK.” (See page 2 ) Frontispiece 





THEODORA 


By 

Katharine Pyle 
and 

Laura Spencer Portor 


Illustrated from Drawings hy 

William A. McCullough 


BOSTON 

LITTLE, BROWN, & COMPANY 


1907 


V 


- 1 ' 


of CONGRESS 
I two Coi)»e? Received 

OCT 10 190? 


, Copyrieht Entry ■ 

k)ci to 'W 

i ClassA XXc,, Ndl 


COPY B. 


<^1 


Copyright, 1907, 

By Little, Brown, and Company. 
All rights reserved 

Published October, 1907 



COLONIAL PRESS 

Electrotyped and Printed by C. H. Simonds Co* 
Boston, U.S, A. 



CONTENTS 


CHAPTER 

I. 

Theodora 


PAGi; 

1 

II. 

A Gift and a Piece of News 


8 

III. 

Good -bye 


16 

IV. 

The New Scholar 


20 

V. 

The Sisters’ School 


27 

VI. 

Theodora Euns Away . 


37 

VII. 

Susie 


47 

VIII. 

The Art Museum . 


56 

IX. 

Sister Margaret . 


68 

X. 

What Estelle and Theodora 



Did 


74 

XI. 

A Lonely Evening 


85 

XII. 

An Afternoon with Susie . 


97 

XIII. 

The School Entertainment . 


104 

XIV. 

Christmas Shopping 


123 

XV. 

Christmas Eve at the Sisters 


133 

XVI. 

Susie’s Christmas 


142 

XVII. 

The Two Parties . 


146 

XVIII. 

The End of the Holidays 


160 

XIX. 

Poor Susie ! . . . . 


167 

XX. 

Theodora Changes Her Mind 


178 

XXI. 

Theodora’s Letter 


186 

XXII. 

Theodora’s House 


190 

XXIII. 

A Surprise .... 


199 

XXIV. 

News 

, 

205 


V 


VI 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER PAGE 

XXV. Theodora^s Sister Suzanne . 212 
XXVI. Theodora Asks Her Father . 220 

XXVII. Susie^s Aunt .... 224 
XXVIII. Theodora Keeps Her Promise . 231 

XXIX. At Lakewood .... 236 

XXX. The Day of the Parade . . 243 

XXXI. In the Trunk -room . . . 253 

XXXII. There^s Always a Way . . 263 

XXXIII. Holidays Together , . . 268 


LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 


“ She settled herself in a large arm 

CHAIR WITH A BIG PICTURE BOOK ” Fl'OntispieCB 

PAGB 

“ < Ain’t she beautiful ? ’ she sighed softly ” 98 

In one corner stood a doll - house and 

A GREAT TOY ELEPHANT ”... 196 

Nestled among the curtains, fast asleep, 

LAY Susie and Theodora ” . . , 266 


(. 


I 


THEODORA 


CHAPTER I 

THEODORA 

rpHEODORA was standing at one of 
the windows of the long drawing 
room. Outside in the street the afternoon 
light was fading and the twilight was 
gathering down. Looking up toward 
Fifth Avenue she could see the endless 
line of carriages rolling past, and the many 
people walking briskly homeward, or per- 
haps on their way to some tea or recep- 
tion. Presently the man who turned on the 
electric light at the corner of the street rode 
by on his bicycle. She watched him stop 
at the iron lamp post, open a little door in 
it, and turn the key inside. Immedi- 
ately the light in the big white globe high 
overhead began to flicker blue and white. 

1 


2 


THEODORA 


Then he closed the little iron door with 
a click and rode on again and out of sight. 

Theodora turned back into the warm 
room. It was usually quite a while after 
the lamplighter had gone by that her father 
came home, so she settled herself in a 
large arm chair with a big picture book. 
The pictures were in bright colors, red and 
purple, green and blue and gold. Here 
knights in armor rode across the page ; 
there ladies in flowing gowns clustered 
together in court or tourney ; Theodora 
turned the leaves slowly, sometimes running 
her slim little forefinger over the figures. 
She knew them all very well indeed. Here 
was Sir Dinadan, there Sir Bors, and this 
was the Belle Iseult. Miss Wickham, her 
governess, had told her the stories of them 
all. But Theodora saved the best until 
the last; it was the middle picture that 
stretched across the whole of two pages. 
In it, under green trees, and between blos- 
soming apple-boughs. Queen Guinevere 
rode a-maying. She rode a white palfrey, 
and wore a grass green gown that almost 


THEODORA 


3 


swept the ground, and on her head was a 
crown. Beside her and behind rode many 
knights and ladies. Beneath the picture 
were the words, “ The proud Queen rode 
forth, many knights and ladies attending 
her.’’ 

This was Theodora’s favorite picture. 
She would not be Iseult, nor yet the lily- 
white Elaine, but she would be a proud 
queen like Guinevere, and the most beauti- 
ful of them all. She would ride a white 
horse and wear a crown and sweeping gown, 
and crowds would gather to see her pass. 
She would have many people to attend her, 
too; not merely Miss Wickham and Good- 
win and Cecile and Robert, who waited 
on her now, but lords and ladies like those 
who rode with Queen Guinevere, all gor- 
geously arrayed. 

Robert came into the room and moved 
about noiselessly, turning on the lights 
here and there and straightening a rug. 

“ What time is it, Robert ? ” 

“It is nearly seven o’clock. Miss Theo- 
dora. Mr. Winthrop is late to-night.” 


4 


THEODORA 


Theodora watched him light the tall 
lamp near her and draw the heavy curtains 
across the windows. The room was warm 
and bright and cosy, but after Robert had 
gone Theodora put down her book, and 
slipping between the curtains, looked out 
once more into the bleak street where the 
electric light shone white and cold. Would 
her father never come ? When he was so 
late there was such a little while between 
his home coming and her bedtime; and 
they always had so much to talk about and 
discuss. The hours with him were the 
pleasantest of all the day. 

Ah, there he was now ! She brushed 
out between the curtains, and ran to the 
hall to greet him. 

“ What made you so late, father ? ” she 
cried, throwing her arms about his neck 
as he stooped to kiss her. 

“ I was detained by business.’’ 

She clung to him for a moment, and then 
unclasped her arms and waited while he 
took off his overcoat and gave it to Robert 
who was in waiting. 


THEODORA 


5 


“ I thought you never were coming/’ 
She slipped her hand into his and walked 
with him over to the broad stairway. 

What has my little princess been doing 
to-day ? ’’ he asked. 

“ First I went up to the park, and then 
Aunt Houghton came and took me to the 
fair for the Home for Little Cripples. 
There were a great many pretty toys and 
flowers, and a Lady Bountiful in a spangled 
blue gown. She had a big bag of things, 
and you put some money in her hand 
and she drew out a gift from the bag for 
you. She gave me a fan with a little 
mirror on the sticks of it. It is very pretty.” 

“ That reminds me,” said Mr. Winthrop, 
“ that I myself have a gift for you.” 

“ Have you ? How lovely ! What is it, 
father ? May I have it now ? ” 

“ No, because when I give it to you I 
want to tell you about it, and now it is 
late and I have still to dress for dinner.” 

“ You are not going out for dinner, are 
you, father ? ” It was always a disap- 
pointment to Theodora when he did not 


6 


THEODORA 


stay at home, and she had to dine with 
Miss Wickham instead of with him. 

“ No, I will be at home this evening, I 
am glad to say, and after dinner you and 
I will have a long talk together. There is 
something else I want to tell you about 
beside the gift.’' 

“ What is it ? ” 

“ I cannot tell you now. Run down- 
stairs and I will be down as soon as I can.” 

“ And I mayn’t have the gift to look at ? 
You could tell me all about it afterward.” 

“ No, because ” — the laughing look that 
Theodora loved came into Mr. Winthrop’s 
eyes — “ you see I am a great Sultan, and 
I have brought home a gift from the far 
East for the Princess Badoura, who is 
sometimes called Theodora. I want to 
know whether she likes it or not, and I 
can’t tell unless I see her open the box.” 

Theodora laughed with pleasure. Usu- 
ally her father was grave and almost severe, 
but sometimes when he brought her gifts 
he would pretend like this, and that gener- 
ally meant that he and she were going to 


THEODORA 


7 


have a particularly pleasant evening. Be- 
sides she liked to be called the Princess 
Badoura, and to fancy she looked like her 
as she appeared in the great volume of the 
Arabian Nights downstairs, with long, dark- 
ened eyes, and filmy veils, and bangles on 
her arms. So she kissed her hand to her 
father, and, full of pleasant expectations, 
ran down to the library to cuddle in the 
big chair and dream of fairy tales and jew- 
els, and the gift which she was to have, 
and which her father wanted to tell her 
about. She wondered what it could be. 


CHAPTER II 


A GIFT AND A PIECE OF NEWS 

S a usual thing Theodora enjoyed 



sitting opposite to her father in the 
diningroom, in a tall carved chair like his 
own, and being served very formally like 
a really grown-up person, but this evening 
she was in a hurry to have dinner finished. 
As soon as Robert pulled back her chair for 
her she slipped down, and going around the 
table took her father by the hand and drew 
him toward the library. 

“ Now for the present,” she said. 

“ And I am not even to have time for 
my coffee ? ” smiled Mr. Winthrop. 

“ Oh yes, for that.” 

Robert followed them to the library with 
the coffee things and filled a cup for Mr. 
Winthrop, and Theodora put the sugar in it 
as she always did, selecting the lump very 
carefully with the little sugar-tongs; then 


A GIFT AND A PIECE OF NEWS 9 


she handed it to her father. He drank it 
with leisurely enjoyment, smiling at her 
over the brim. 

“ And now,” he said, as he put down the 
empty cup, “ we will look at the present.” 
He reached over and took up a package 
which Theodora had not noticed before, 
but which had been lying on the table, and 
put it in her hands. “ Let us see how the 
princess likes it.” 

The package was long and narrow. 
Theodora felt it curiously before she untied 
the string, and unfolded the white paper 
in which it was wrapped. Inside was an 
oblong white kid box with gold letters on 
it. She undid the little clasp that fastened 
it, and opened it cautiously. There, nestled 
upon the white satin lining, lay a lovely and 
curious necklace. It was made of hundreds 
of beautiful little shells the shape of conch- 
shells, only very tiny, and shining with 
wonderful colors. Theodora had never seen 
such colors, — no, not even in the picture 
of Queen Guinevere; and they shone and 
shifted, too, in the most wonderful way as 


10 


THEODORA 


the necklace was moved about, the bright 
peacock blues changing to green, the pinks 
melting into the most marvellous purples. 
Theodora thought she had never seen 
anything so lovely. 

“ Oh, father ! ” she cried, “ how pretty ! ” 

“ So you do like it ? ’’ 

“ I think it is the loveliest thing I ever 
saw.” She held it up admiringly, and then 
twisted it about her little wrist and turned 
it this way and that, watching the lovely 
play of colors. ‘‘ Where did it come from, 
father ? ” 

“ From an island very far away in the 
Pacific Ocean. These little shells are very 
difficult to get, and are considered very 
precious by the natives; so precious that 
when the islands had their king and queen, 
as they have not now, only members of 
the royal family were allowed to wear 
them; so you see it is a fortunate thing 
that you are a princess so that you can 
wear them too.” 

Theodora laughed delightedly. She 
leaned against her father’s shoulder, still 


A GIFT AND A PIECE OF NEWS 11 


playing with the necklace, letting it fall into 
her palm, and drawing it through her fin- 
gers. “ Aren’t the colors lovely ? ” she said. 

“ Yes ; they say everything in that island 
is full of color. Even the fish are almost 
like jewels they are so brilliant. There is 
one fish, a bright red one, which the natives 
say is only seen in the waters when some 
national misfortune is about to befall the 
islands. Before the Princess Kaiulani died 
the red fish was seen swimming in the waters. 
When the King Kalakaua died here in Am- 
erica the people of his own country saw the 
red fish, and they said, ‘ What misfortune 
has come to us and our country ? Perhaps 
our King who is now far away, is dead ! ’ 
And when the King was brought home to be 
buried his subjects showed no surprise. 
They had already mourned for him. They 
said, ‘ We knew indeed that he must have 
died, for was not the red fish seen ? ’ ” 

“ And is it all true ? ” asked Theodora. 

“ That is what they say, that it is really 
true.” 

“ I wish there were a story about the 


12 


THEODORA 


necklace too. You don’t know anything 
especial about it, father, do you ? ” 

“ Not now, but perhaps in a few months 
from now I may.” 

Theodora glanced up in surprise. ‘‘ Why 
in a few months ? ” 

“ Because in a few months,” Mr. Win- 
throp said slowly, watching Theodora’s 
expression as he spoke, “ I will have been 
there and in many other countries, and I 
will be bringing home all sorts of strange 
and beautiful gifts to my little princess, and 
stories about them.” 

“ Father ! What do you mean ? ” 

“ I mean, my darling, that I am going 
to leave you for awhile and go abroad on 
very important business, and I shall expect 
you to be very brave about it, as a princess 
should, and not cry, but think of how 
happy we shall be when I come home again, 
with all the pretty things I am going to 
bring you.” 

Theodora dropped the necklace on the 
table and put her hands on his shoulders. 
“ Oh, father ! You are going away ? ” 


A GIFT AND A PIECE OF NEWS 13 


“ Yes, little daughter.” 

“ Mayn’t I go with you, father ? Oh, 
mayn’t I, please.?” 

“No, my dearest ; I would take you if 
I could, but I will be travelling about from 
place to place, and it would be out of the 
question quite.” 

“ But father — ” Theodora’s lips trem- 
bled and she stopped a moment to 
choke back the tears — “I shall be so 
lonely.” 

“ I have thought of that, but it will not 
be for so very, very long, — only some 
months, and I have made arrangements 
that I think will be very happy for you while 
I am away.” 

“ What arrangements ? ” 

“ Not to stay here, for that would indeed 
be very lonely.” 

“ To be with my Aunt Houghton ? ” said 
Theodora quickly. 

“ No, not that either, though you may 
go to see her often, and she will often come 
to see you I hope. I am going to send you 
to a school.” 


14 


THEODORA 


A school ! Oh, no, father, I would not 
like that/’ 

“ But you will if I think it best you 
should go, I am sure. It is a school here 
in New York where there will be other little 
girls for you to know and play with. It is 
kept by some very lovely English women 
who belong to an Episcopal Sisterhood, and 
I think — indeed I am sure that you would 
be happier there than at any other place 
where I could send you.” 

“ But I would rather stay here than go 
to school. I could have my lessons with 
Miss Wickham.” 

“ No, dear, that is out of the question. 
I have decided what is best and I shall 
expect you to be very good and not to argue 
about it nor make it harder than it is to 
leave you; for it is very hard. You will 
be my brave little princess, will you not ? ” 

In spite of herself Theodora’s eyes had 
filled with tears, but she winked hard to 
keep them back, and she would not speak 
for fear she might begin to sob. 

There was a knock at the door, and in 


A GIFT AND A PIECE OF NEWS 15 


answer to Mr. Winthrop’s “ Come in/’ 
Miss Wickham entered. “ It is Theodora’s 
bedtime,” she said. 

Mr. Winthrop drew the little girl to him 
and kissed her. “ Remember,” he said 
softly, ‘‘ you are my princess, and a true 
princess is always brave. Good-night, dear 
child.” 

For a moment Theodora clung to him. 
“ Good-night,” she whispered. Then sud- 
denly she turned and ran out of the room. 
He must not see her tears, and she knew 
if she stayed another moment she would 
cry. 

“ I have just told her I am going,” said 
Mr. Winthrop briefly, “ but do not say 
anything to her about it.” 

“ No, I will not,” said the governess. 
But she felt very sorry for the little girl as 
she followed on up the stairs and would 
have been very glad if she could have said 
or done anything to comfort her. 


CHAPTER III 


GOOD-BYE 


LL morning Miss Wickham and Cecile 



the maid, had been packing the two 
big trunks that were to go with Theodora 
to the school, and the little girl had grown 
quite interested in all the arrangements. 
Cecile, with her vivacious ways, came and 
went, chattering volubly in French, and 
Goodwin, the housekeeper, looked in now 
and then to see how things were getting on. 

“Ah,Miss Theodora, what a good time you 
will be having,” she said. “ So many little 
girls to play with, and so many things to do. 
You’ll be forgetting us altogether, maybe.” 

“No, I shall not,” declared Theodora. 
She was no longer sorry now that she was 
going away, it all seemed so exciting and 
important. 

It was a little difficult for her to decide 
which of her toys she would take with her 


16 


GOOD-BYE 


17 


to the school, for it was impossible to take 
them all. She had made several selections 
and then had changed her mind. 

“Now there are the bear that walks and 
the music-box and the merry-go-round ; — 
but I do not think I shall want that. Did 
you put in the paint box, Miss Wickham ? ’’ 

“ Yes, it is in the top tray.” 

“ And my two dolls’ trunks ? Are they 
ready ? ” 

“ Yes, and I put in the rose tea-set; I 
thought you might want it. There ; I 
really think that is all.” Miss Wickham 
closed the trunks after one last survey, 
and Robert was called in to lock and strap 
them. Everything was ready. Theodora 
might start at almost any time now ; — only 
she was not to go until evening, for her 
father was to take her to the school himself 
before taking his train for the West. On this 
account dinner was served earlier than usual 
that day. 

Miss Wickham put the last touches to 
Theodora’s toilette that evening, and then 
came down with her to the diningroom 


18 


THEODORA 


door, and kissed her before she went on 
upstairs again. Now that the time for 
parting with her little charge had come, 
she was finding it very hard to give her up, 
though she was to come back the next year. 
At least that was the present plan. 

During dinner Theodora talked a great 
deal, and there were pink spots of excite- 
ment in her cheeks, but Mr. Winthrop was 
silent and preoccupied. 

When they came out into the hall Cecile 
was already waiting there with Theodora’s 
hat and coat. 

The little girl looked up quickly at her 
father. “ It isn’t time to go ” she asked 
rather breathlessly. 

“ Yes, I’m afraid it is. The carriage 
has come, Robert ? ” 

‘‘ It is waiting, sir.” 

Miss Wickham had come downstairs 
again, and Goodwin from back in the hall 
was watching the preparations for departure 
with her kind old face full of concern. 

“ Don’t you be forgetting us. Miss Theo- 
dora,” she said. 


GOOD-BYE 


19 


“ No, I won’t.” 

“ I put a little book in with the others 
for you to remember me by,” Miss Wickham 
said. “ You must think of me when you 
read it. It is the book of Japanese fairy- 
tales that I told you of.” 

“ Oh, that is nice.” 

“ Come, my dear,” urged Mr. Winthrop ; 
“ we have no time to linger; ” and he took 
Theodora’s hand in his. 

Miss Wickham stooped to kiss her ; there 
were tears in her eyes. 

“ You won’t forget me ? ” 

“ No indeed I will not.” 

“ And don’t forget Robert, Miss,” said 
the butler as he opened the door. 

“No, I’ll remember you all. Good- 
bye, Miss Wickham ! Good-bye, Goodwin 
and Cecile ! Good-bye Robert.” 

She turned and waved her hand, and 
then she and her father went down the 
steps and across the pavement to where the 
carriage was drawn up, waiting to carry 
them to the Sisters’ School. 


CHAPTER IV 


THE NEW SCHOLAR 

Tj^STHER, the bright-faced English maid 
who opened the door, looked with 
interest at the tall dark gentleman who had 
just arrived, and the little new scholar 
whom he was bringing to the school. She 
thought what a pretty child the new scholar 
was, though her face looked rather too 
pale and her eyes too big under the shadow 
of her hat. 

“ I suppose this is Theodora,” said 
Sister Margaret, as she met them in the 
hall. “ I am very glad to see you, my dear ; ” 
and she stooped and lightly kissed the little 
girl’s cheek. 

Theodora looked up at the Sister curi- 
ously. She was a tall, rather pale woman, 
dressed in a wide-sleeved black habit. A 
cord was knotted about her waist, the ends 
of it swinging against her knees as she 


THE NEW SCHOLAR 


21 


walked, and her hair was hidden by a close- 
fitting white cap over which was turned 
back a long black veil. 

Mr. Winthrop held his little daughter’s 
hand closely in his. “ I feel that I am 
leaving a very precious charge with you, 
Sister,” he said. 

“ And we shall feel it so, too, but we will 
take the best care of her we can, and I 
think she will be happy here; all our little 
girls seem to be.” Sister lifted off Theo- 
dora’s plumy hat and handed it to the maid, 
and stooped to unbutton the child’s coat. 

“ I am sure she will be happy as soon as 
she grows used to it,” Mr. Winthrop 
agreed, ‘‘ but you see she has never been 
away from me before, — or perhaps I 
should say, I have never been away from 
her, — that is, for any length of time, and 
we are both of us finding it rather hard.” 

Theodora clasped his hand closer, and 
looked up in his face. Her feelings about 
the school changed once more and she 
wished she had not come. If only her 
father were not going away on that long. 


22 


THEODORA 


long journey. Already she felt a pang of 
homesickness for him, and besides, she was 
sure now that she was not going to like it here. 

“ The school children are all over in 
the school parlor,’’ Sister Margaret went 
on, in her pleasant English voice. “ This 
is their recreation hour when they generally 
dance. Would you like to go over there 
for awhile and see them ? ” 

“ Very much,” said Mr. Winthrop. 

Sister led the way across the hall and 
opened the door into a large, pleasant, 
brightly-lighted room. A number of little 
girls were gathered there talking and laugh- 
ing together; they paused in their chatter, 
as the new comers entered, and looked 
at them curiously. The room had a bare 
polished floor ; heavy red curtains were 
drawn across the windows, and on the 
large centre table were books and flowers. 
At a piano sat another Sister. She, too, 
wore a black veil and habit, but she was 
plump and merry-looking, not pale and 
serene, like Sister Margaret. Three or 
four children had gathered around her 


THE NEW SCHOLAR 


23 


and were talking animatedly. One of them 
held her by the sleeve. As soon as the Sister 
saw the visitors, she rose and came across 
the room to meet them ; she was introduced 
as Sister Grace. She motioned to the little 
girls who had been with her to come over 
too, and they also were introduced, — Es- 
telle, Marion, Sara and Pauline and sev- 
eral others. Theodora noticed particularly 
Estelle, a very handsome child, with red 
cheeks and a thick crop of golden hair, 
which she had a fashion of shaking back 
from her neck now and then like a high- 
spirited pony. 

“ The children were just about to begin a 
dance,” said Sister Grace. ‘‘ Will you 
dance too, Theodora ? ” 

“ No, thank you,” said Theodora with 
a little air that was both proud and shy. 
She was prettier than ever, now that she 
had taken off her hat and coat, with a fine 
delicate prettiness that was quite different 
from Estelle’s sturdy handsomeness. 

‘‘ We will sit over on the sofa and look 
on if we may,” said Mr. Winthrop. 


24 


THEODORA 


“ Very well,” Sister Grace agreed. “ An- 
other evening perhaps she will care to 
dance.” Then she went back to the piano, 
followed by the children. ‘‘ What shall I 
play ? ” she asked as she took her place. 

“ A polka, please,” said Pauline. 

‘‘ Yes, a polka,” cried some of the others. 

“ A two-step,” Estelle demanded shaking 
back her hair. 

“ Pauline asked first, so I will play a 
polka, and after that a two-step.” 

“ Oh, no, I hate polkas,” cried Estelle. 
“ Don’t play that. Sister.” 

“ But Pauline and the others want it.” 

“ Well, then I shan’t dance,” and Estelle 
threw herself into a chair with a sullen 
look. Nevertheless it was a polka that 
Sister Grace played. 

The other little girls slid about in their 
flat-heeled slippers, choosing partners, and 
one went over to Estelle, but she shook 
her head, and sat there, pouting and scowl- 
ing, until the dance was over. Then she 
called from her place without moving, 
“ Will you play a two-step now ? ” 


THE NEW SCHOLAR 


25 


“ Yes, Estelle,” Sister Grace agreed with 
smiling pleasantness. 

Estelle waited for a few minutes after the 
music began, and then she came over to 
where Theodora sat. “ Do you want to 
dance ? ” she asked. 

“ No, thank you, I don’t care to.” So 
Estelle went over and asked Marion to be 
her partner. 

As the dance ended Mr. Winthrop made 
a motion to rise, but Theodora caught his 
hand with a quick, startled look. “ You’re 
not going, father ? ” 

“ My darling, I must.” 

“ Oh, I wish you wouldn’t,” she wailed 
softly. “ Or I wish I could go with you. 
I wish I could.” 

“ But you cannot, my dearest child, and 
you will be very happy here, I am sure.” 

“ If I am not, I am going up to my 
Aunt Houghton’s; I’ll go up and stay 
with her until you come back.” 

“But you will be happy ; we will not con- 
sider anything else,” and then he rose to go. 

After he had made his adieux to Sister 


26 


THEODORA 


Margaret and Sister Grace, Theodora fol- 
lowed him out into the hall. The Sisters 
let them go alone that they might have 
their last minutes together. 

Mr. Winthrop stooped to kiss his little 
daughter; she threw her arms about his 
neck and clung to him. “ Father, I don’t, 
dont want you to go.” 

“ My darling, it will not be for long. 
And try to be happy. Good-bye, my little 
daughter, good-bye ! ” He kissed her and 
kissed her again. Then he loosened her 
arms from about his neck. “ God bless 
you, my darling ! ” he said. The next 
moment he had gone, and Theodora was 
gazing through rising tears at the door 
which had closed behind him. 


CHAPTER V 

THE sisters’ school 

*Y\7HEN Theodora awoke the next morn- 
* * ing she could not at first remember 
where she was. The windows seemed to 
be in strange places, and the light poured 
in full and bright instead of softened by 
the familiar pink silk curtains of her own 
room. Then suddenly it all came back 
to her with a pang of lonesomeness : her 
father had gone and she was at the Sisters’ 
School. 

Theodora had never been away from 
home before except to the sea-shore or the 
mountains, and then either her father or her 
aunt, as well as her governess, had gone with 
her, but here she was among strangers. 
Sister Margaret had put her to bed the 
night before, and had been very sweet and 
gentle with her, but she had missed Cecile 
whom she could chatter with; and this 
27 


28 


THEODORA 


morning when Sister Margaret came in to 
help her dress, the little girl was obliged 
to do several things for herself that her 
maid always did for her at home, — to put 
away her ribbons and pick up her night- 
gown from the floor and button the straps 
of her little morning slippers. Then, at 
last, she was ready to go down to break- 
fast. 

The school was not a large one, but it 
seemed so to Theodora. The diningroom 
seemed to be quite full of children as she 
entered it. They sat at tables arranged in 
the form of a cross, and two Sisters, whom 
Theodora had not seen before and whom 
the little girls called Sister Felicita and 
Sister Ruth, sat at the two ends of it. They 
and the children all spoke French, and 
Estelle, whose place was next to Theodora, 
looked at her inquisitively now and then 
as though she wondered what she thought 
of it all, and whether she understood. 

Presently she asked, “ Do you know 
what we’re talking about ? ” 

“ About going to the museum.” 


THE SISTERS* SCHOOL 


29 


Estelle seemed a little disappointed. “ Oh, 
you understand French, do you ? ” 

“ Yes.” After a moment Theodora 
added, “ Cecile always speaks it; she 
doesn’t know English.” 

“Who is Cecile.?” 

“ She’s my maid.” 

“ Oh ! ” said Estelle, and then she was 
silent for awhile. After breakfast she came 
over where Theodora was standing. 

“Was that your father who came with 
you last evening .? ” she began. 

“ Yes.” 

“ I thought it was ; do you live near 
here ? ” 

“ Yes ; live in New York. Our house 
is only a few blocks from here.” 

“ It is ? Why do you come to school 
here.?” 

“ My father was going away and he 
wanted me to.” Theodora’s lip trembled. 

Estelle regarded her curiously. Then a 
bell tinkled upstairs. She started. “ There ! 
that’s Chapel. You haven’t been to Chapel, 
have you ? ” 


30 


THEODORA 


“ No.” 

“ Come on, and I’ll show you. It’s only 
just upstairs, you know, but we all have to 
put on veils before we go into it.” 

Theodora wondered. She did not know 
at all what Estelle meant, but she followed 
with the other children. 

In the upper hall stood Sister Grace, 
slowly tinkling a little bell. Sister Ruth 
stood at the door of an open closet in which 
hung rows of long white organdie veils. 
The children gathered around her, and she 
put a veil on each one in turn, arranging 
the long folds so that they hung down their 
backs. 

“ Why does she do that ? ” whispered 
Theodora to her new friend. 

“ I don’t know, only we always have to 
put on veils before we go to Chapel.” 

Then it was Theodora’s turn, and a 
veil was adjusted on her head, too, and tied 
with little ribbons under her hair so that 
it would not slip off. 

Another door now opened. The tinkling 
of the bell ceased and the solemn tones of 


THE SISTERS^ SCHOOL 


31 


an organ were heard. The children entered 
the chapel. Theodora looked about her 
wonderingly. She was in a large room at 
the back of the house, but it did not seem 
like a room. There was a little altar at one 
end, covered with an embroidered altar 
cloth. The windows were of stained glass, 
and the light shone through them in rich, 
soft colors of rose and blue and purple. 
Long benches were arranged as pews, and 
at an organ sat Sister Grace playing softly. 
Sister Margaret read the prayers and 
psalms for the morning, and Theodora rose 
and knelt with the others, but Estelle, who 
was near her, was very inattentive and at 
last made so much stir turning the leaves of 
her hymnal that Sister Ruth had to lean 
over and motion to her to be quiet. 

After Chapel the veils were taken off 
again and the children hurried gaily down 
to the parlor for half an hour’s recreation 
before school should begin. 

Theodora had never had much trouble 
in learning her lessons, but she found it 
very hard to study at school that morning. 


32 


THEODORA 


The homesickness came over her again and 
again. It was worst at recreation hour, 
and as she stood at the window looking out 
into the street she could hardly keep back 
the tears. She wondered where her father 
was now, and how soon he would write to 
her; she had forgotten to ask him about 
that. She wondered what Miss Wickham 
and Cecile were doing and she wished she 
were back in her own home again. 

It had been raining fitfully all the morn- 
ing, and the sky was still gray. Now and 
then a carriage rolled past, the hoofs of 
the horses klooping briskly on the asphalt 
street, and a boat over on the East River 
whistled faintly and mournfully. Back of 
her, in the parlor, the children were talking 
cheerfully together. 

Theodora turned from the window and 
went upstairs to look for Sister Margaret. 
“ Sister,” she said, “ I would like to go up 
to my Aunt Houghton’s.” 

Sister sat down and put her arm about 
the little girl, drawing her to her. “ Dear, 
I could not let you go up there now. Per- 


THE SISTERS* SCHOOL 


33 


haps some day later in the week you may. 
Besides, it is rainy. The children are not 
even going for a walk to-day.” 

“ I would like to go,” persisted Theodora. 

“ School will begin again in a few min- 
utes.” 

“ I know, but I mean after school.” 

“ No, dear, I could not let you. Your 
father would not wish you to go up there 
the very first day you are with us, and I 
am sure you want to do as he would wish.” 

Theodora's eyes filled with tears; she 
turned aside her head that Sister might not 
see them. “ He said I might go if I wasn't 
happy here.” She forgot it was she herself 
and not her father who had said it. 

“ I think you must have mistaken him,” 
said Sister gently. “ At any rate, it is too 
early for you to decide whether you will 
be happy here or not, and under no circum- 
stances could I let you go without especial 
word from him. Come; let us go down- 
stairs and see what the other children are 
doing ; ” and she took Theodora's hand and 
led her down to the school parlor again. 


34 


THEODORA 


But Theodora did not give up her idea 
of going to her aunt’s. She did not want 
to stay at the school. She would never, 
never be happy there. If she could only 
see her aunt and talk with her, her aunt 
would arrange for her to stay with her. At 
luncheon time, she looked at Sister Grace 
near whom she sat and wondered whether 
she would take her to Mrs. Houghton’s ; 
but she did not think she would. After 
luncheon, instead of staying in the parlor 
where the children were playing, she went 
up to her own room. She had not been 
there long before Sister Grace herself came 
to the door. 

“ What are you doing up here, Theo- 
dora ? ” she asked with some surprise. 
“ Why aren’t you down with the other little 
girls .? ” 

“ I would rather be up here,” said Theo- 
dora. 

“ Oh, but the children all stay down in 
the parlor; that is better for them than to 
be in their own rooms.” She came in and 
straightened the things on the bureau. 


THE SISTERS^ SCHOOL 


35 


‘‘ Do you know you will have a little room- 
mate this evening ? She will be here about 
five o’clock. It will be pleasant for you 
to have someone in here with you, will 
it not ? ” 

“ I have a room to myself at home.” 

“ Yes, but here all the children have 
room-mates, and they think it great fun.” 

“ I would rather have a room to myself.” 

“ Wait and see. But come now, dear ! 
Sister Margaret would rather have you 
stay downstairs with the others.” 

She led Theodora from the room, and 
then, with a nod and a smile, went along 
the hall to the community -room, leaving 
the little girl to go on down by herself. 
But Theodora only went as far as the head 
of the stairs and then she hesitated. She 
realized that the Sisters did not wish her 
to go up to her aunt’s, but she was sure 
she could find the way by herself for she 
knew exactly where it was, though she had 
never been there alone. 

With her heart beating hard she went 
back into her own room and softly opened 


36 


THEODORA 


the closet door. There were her coat and 
hat just where Esther, the English maid, 
had put them the night before. She stopped 
for a moment to listen; then she put them 
on though she had some trouble in getting 
into her coat without help, and tip-toed out 
and along the hall and down the stairway. 
Every moment she expected one or another 
of the Sisters to come out and stop her, but 
she saw no one. As she passed the parlor 
door she could hear the voices of the other 
children at play there. Then she opened 
the front door, closed it behind her as softly 
as she could, and sped down the steps and 
up the street away from the school. 

Not five minutes later Sister Margaret 
came out from the parlor to look for 
Theodora and see why she did not stay with 
the other children. 


CHAPTER VI 

THEODORA RUNS AWAY 

rpHEODORA hurried along the street, 
still with the feeling that at any 
moment she might hear the Sisters calling 
her. It was not until she turned the 
corner into Madison Avenue that she felt 
really safe and could draw a long breath. 
It was misting somewhat and was quite cold, 
and in her haste she had not thought of 
her gloves or muff. People who passed 
stared at her, and a little doubtful, uneasy 
feeling came into her mind. Perhaps her 
aunt would not like to have her come in 
this way; she had never been allowed to 
go out in the street by herself. Her steps 
grew slower. The wind was sharp, and 
though the afternoon was not late the gray- 
ness gave a feeling of early dusk. Behind 
her was the warm school parlor with the 
chattering children and the gentle Sisters; 

37 


38 


THEODORA 


it would be warm at her aunt’s, too, and 
there would be a cheerful open fire and 
soft rugs and curtains. James would bring 
in the tea things with the steaming kettle 
and the basket of little cakes, and Tasso, 
the little dog, would sit up and beg for one. 
Theodora knew just how her aunt’s rings 
would glitter as she arranged the cups. 
All these things hurried through her mind. 
But it was a long way to Mrs. Houghton’s ; 
farther than she had realized. Perhaps 
it would be better if she went home and 
asked the housekeeper or one of the maids 
to go the rest of the way with her. 

An ugly, squinting old beggar woman 
with a cane passed her and stared hard. 
Presently she stopped and turning stared 
again. Theodora did not like the way 
she looked at her; that decided her, and 
she turned into her own street and went 
along it to the well-known house. But 
how strange the house looked ! It was 
only the evening before that she and her 
father had left it, but already it had a de- 
serted appearance. The door and windows 


THEODORA RUNS AWAY 


39 


were boarded up just as houses in New 
York are when people go away in the sum- 
mer and leave them. Theodora heard the 
tapping of the old beggar woman’s cane 
behind her, and looking back saw that she 
was coming along the street. Then she 
ran up the steps and rang the bell. There 
was no answer; the house lay silent and 
blank. Theodora felt sure Goodwin and 
some of the servants must be in the house. 
If only she could make them hear ! The 
old woman was coming nearer, and no one 
else was to be seen but a man farther 
up the street who was walking in the 
other direction. Theodora rang again. 
Still no answer. Perhaps Goodwin and 
the maids were upstairs, putting things away 
and quite out of hearing of the bell. 

“ Air ye trying to git in there ? ” The 
old woman had now reached the foot of 
the steps and was watching her. Theodora 
made no answer. She rang and rang again. 

“ That house is shet up,” the old woman 
went on. “ Don’t you see ? ” Theodora 
still was silent. The old woman made a 


40 


THEODORA 


motion as if to come up the steps. The 
man had disappeared now. There was no 
one but themselves in the street, and 
Theodora was afraid. She ran down the 
steps, but as she reached the pavement 
the old woman caught her by the arm. 
“ Ain’t lost, air ye ? Where d’ye live any- 
way ? ” 

“ I —I live here.” 

‘‘ Here ! ” The old woman looked up 
at the house. ‘‘ Don’t nobody live here. 
Where d’ye come from ? ” 

“ From the Sisters’ School.” Theodora’s 
heart was beating so fast she could hardly 
breathe. 

“ Saint Mary’s ! Eh ? Yes, I know where 
that is; I’ll take you.” She took Theo- 
dora’s hand and held it tightly. 

“ But I’m going to my aunt’s,” cried the 
child. 

“ All right ! all right ! you come along 
with me and I’ll take you.” She hobbled 
up the street, still with 'Theodora’s hand in 
hers. Presently she began mumbling to 
herself and once she laughed. The child 


THEODORA RUNS AWAY 


41 


looked about her desperately. If only she 
could see anyone she knew. 

‘‘ I can go by myself,” she said, speaking 
half angrily in her fright. “ I know the 
way.” 

“ That’s all right ! That’s all right ! 
I’ll take you back when I know who wants 

you.” 

Presently they reached Madison Avenue, 
and the old woman hobbled more quickly, 
glancing anxiously and slyly this way and 
that. She seemed about to cross toward 
Fourth Avenue. Several people were going 
along, and further down the street was a 
policeman. Theodora was nerved to a sud- 
den strength. She snatched her hand from 
the old woman’s with a jerk, and ran down 
the avenue, not toward her aunt’s, for that 
seemed far away, but toward the school. 
She thought she heard the old woman call- 
ing, but she did not know whether she 
was followed, and she did not dare to look 
back. 

As she came near the policeman he 
looked at her curiously. 


42 


THEODORA 


“ Where are you going, Miss ? ” he asked 
in a respectful voice. 

“ To Fifty-third street,” answered Theo- 
dora breathlessly. 

“ Where on Fifty-third ? ” 

“ To the school, — the Sisters’ School.” 

Theodora gave an apprehensive look 
behind her, but the old woman had dis- 
appeared. 

“ That’s five blocks farther down and 
then turn to your right,” said the policeman. 

“ Yes, I know.” Theodora hesitated. 
She still wished to go to her aunt’s, but the 
gray ness of the afternoon was deepening, 
and back there the old woman was perhaps 
lurking behind some corner, ready to jump 
out and seize her. The thought fright- 
ened her. No, she would go back to the 
school. 

For awhile she walked quickly but pres- 
ently her step grew slower. What would 
the Sisters say to her.? Would they be 
angry with her for having left the school ? 
She turned the corner of Fifty-third Street 
and came face to face with a tall woman 


THEODORA RUNS AWAY 


43 


in a black habit and veil. It was Sister^ 
Margaret. 

Sister gave a sharp exclamation and 
caught the child by her hands. She was 
very pale. “ Theodora, where have you 
been ? ” 

“ I went home.” 

“ You went — without permission — 
without telling anyone ? ” Sister Margaret’s 
face looked stern in its paleness. Still 
holding one of the little girl’s hands, she 
turned and hurried her back toward the 
school. 

“ I wanted to go to my aunt’s,” said 
Theodora. Her heart was beating hard 
and fast. 

“ I told you that you could not. And 
she sent you back — alone ? ” 

“ I didn’t get there.” 

“ How far did you go ? ” 

“ I went to my home, but I — I couldn’t 
get in.” 

Sister Margaret said no more. She led 
Theodora up the steps and rang the bell. 
Almost immediately the door was opened 


44 


THEODORA 


by Esther. Her eyes looked round and 
frightened. “ Oh, Miss ! ” she cried breath- 
lessly, but a look from Sister silenced her and 
left her with her mouth still open. 

“ Tell Sister Ruth and the others,” said 
Sister Margaret briefly. Then she led 
Theodora on upstairs and into the com- 
munity-room, where she closed the door 
behind them. Her face was still very pale. 
She sat down and drew Theodora to her. 

“ Theodora, my dear,” she began, and 
then paused for a moment. “ Theodora,” 
she began again, “ that you should go out 
in this way alone, not telling anyone, is a 
very serious matter, particularly as it was, 
this time, an act of direct disobedience. If 
it were not that you have never been away 
from home before and that your father is 
not here, I should feel that we could hardly 
keep at the school a little girl who knows 
so little of obedience. Such a thing must 
never occur again. Do you understand ? ” 

“ Yes,” said Theodora under her breath, 
as Sister paused and waited for an answer. 

“ Never again ! But it seems that simply 


THEODORA RUNS AWAY 


45 


telling you a thing is not enough, and you 
must now promise me that you will never 
leave the school again without express 
permission.” 

“ But I want to go up to my aunt’s.” 

“ That has nothing to do with it, my 
child. While you are here, you must obey 
the rules of the school, and the first rule 
is obedience. Do you promise me that you 
will not go out again without permission ? ” 

Theodora held down her head; after 
a moment, “ Yes,” she said in a low voice. 

Sister Margaret drew a deep breath. 
Then she reached over and rang the bell. 

“ You may have supper with the other 
children, Theodora,” she said, “ but you 
must stay up here by yourself this evening. 
I cannot let your disobedience go entirely 
without punishment.” Then she added 
more gently, “And I hope that you will 
never wish to go away from us again — 
until your father comes back to take you, 
and perhaps, if you try to be contented, that 
will not seem so long.” The maid now 
appeared in answer to the bell. 


46 


THEODORA 


“ Esther,” she said, “ you may go up- 
stairs with Miss Theodora and get her 
ready for supper ; and see that she has dry 
shoes and stockings. I think hers are 
damp.” 

Then she turned away and Theodora 
knew she was dismissed. 


CHAPTER VII 


SUSIE 



HEN Theodora went to her room 


^ ^ that night, after a lonely evening, 
someone was already there asleep in the 
second little bed, that stood opposite to her 
own. It was a little girl, so snuggled down 
among the covers that only the top of her fore- 
head and a mop of dark hair could be seen. 

“ That is your new little room-mate, 
Susie,” said Sister Margaret. “ She was 
very lonely, so we put her dolls there to 
keep her company;” and Sister Margaret 
pointed to three battered-looking dolls, 
arranged on a chair beside the bed. 

Theodora looked at them and then again 
at Susie. 

“ I would rather not have anyone in my 
room,” she said. 

“ Ah, but all the children share their 
rooms. It is one of the arrangements of 


47 


48 


THEODORA 


the school. It is her room, too, you know, 
as well as yours.” 

“ I have a room of my own at home.” 

“ Yes, I know, but it is different here.” 
Theodora made no answer, but a rebel- 
lious expression came into her face. Sister 
took no notice but went on talking pleas- 
antly. “ She says that she can undress 
herself and dress herself, all except the top 
buttons. Don’t you think that is clever for 
a little girl only six years old ? ” 

“ Why doesn’t her maid do it ? ” 

“ She has no maid ; she has no one at 
all except her brother Benny. He is very 
good to her though. See what he gave 
her to-day ! ” Sister pointed to some things 
on the bureau. There were a toy cat, a 
pewter tea-set, and a chocolate pig partly 
eaten. Theodora looked at them in silence. 
They were not at all such things as she would 
care to have. She thought of the neck- 
lace of precious shells and many other 
lovely gifts that her father had given her. 
Sister Margaret went on chatting of this and 
that, and then presently the little girl was 


SUSIE 


49 


ready for bed. Sister tucked her in, low- 
ered the light and stole softly away, leaving 
her alone in the dim room with her little 
sleeping companion. 

The first thing that Theodora heard the 
next morning was a childish voice, talking 
busily but softly. 

“ You n-n-naughty dolly, why don’t you 
go to sleep ? You jess keep your eye open 
and keep it open, and I told you not 
to.” 

Theodora sat up in bed and looked across 
the room. Her little room-mate, Susie, was 
already awake and was kneeling in her 
bed. Two of her dolls were propped up 
against the pillow; the third one she had 
turned on its face, and now she patted 
its head so violently that the eyes rattled 
in their sockets. When she turned it over 
one eye was still open. “ You’re a very 
n-n-naughty girl. Why don’t you shut 
your eye.^ Don’t you know Sister Mar- 
garet won’t love naughty girls ? ” She 
shook the doll still more violently. 

Happening to look up, she saw Theodora 


50 


THEODORA 


regarding her. She started and then stared 
back in silence from under her mop of 
dark hair. Presently she remarked, “ My 
dolly won’t shut one eye.” 

“ You oughtn’t to shake her that way,” 
said Theodora. 

“ Well, I can’t play with her much, ’cause 
her sawdust’s most all runned out. I’ll 
1-let you play with her if you like.” 

“ No, thank you ! I have all the dolls 
I want, and besides I think I’m going away 
soon. I’m going to write to my father 
to-day and ask him if I may.” 

“ W-w-will he let you ” 

“ My father always lets me do what will 
make me happy.” 

“ So does my B-brother Benny ; he lets 
me, too, — whenever he can.” 

“ Well, my father always can.” 

Susie was silenced. She knew her 
brother Benny very often could not. He 
had explained that to her many times. 
“ Have you a moma ? ” she asked wistfully. 

“ No, but we have a beautiful portrait 
of her in our library.” 


SUSIE 


51 


“ What’s a liberry ? ” 

“ Oh, it’s a big room with books in it; 
haven’t you ever seen one ? ” 

“ No, I’ve never sawed one.” 

“ Good morning, dearies ! ” Sister Mar- 
garet had come to the door and was smiling 
in at them. “ It’s time to get up, but you 
will have to wait for a few minutes. I am 
going to send Esther to help you this morn- 
ing.” And then, with a smiling nod, she 
went along the hall. 

Theodora did not see very much of 
Susie that day. They were in different 
classes at the school, and at meal times the 
little new scholar was placed next to Sister 
Grace, quite at the other end of the table. 

But in the evening after supper, when the 
children began dancing, Susie came across 
the room and sat down on the sofa next to 
Theodora. She spread her little skirts 
and settled herself comfortably, and then 
opened the conversation. 

“ What time do you go to bed ? ” 

“ I go at eight o’clock at home.” 

Susie sighed. “ I go at seven.” 


52 


THEODORA 


‘‘ That’s because you’re so little.” 

Susie fired up. “ I ain’t so very little; 
I’m six.” 

“ Well, that’s little.” 

“ You don’t got to c-c-ca// me little, 
anyway.” 

Theodora said nothing and presently 
Susie began again. 

“ Are you scared, when you go to bed ? ” 

“ No, of course not.” 

“ I am. I cried awful last night, but 
that lady came up and sat with me.” 

“ Do you mean Sister Margaret ? ” 

Susie nodded. “ She says there ain’t 
any bears in New York.” 

“ Of course there aren’t; did you think 
there were ? ” 

“ No ; course I know there ain’t, but 
if there was one, and he came, I’d jess 
holler, I can holler awful loud. He’d 
be scared if he heard me, I guess.” Susie 
meditated for awhile, and there was silence. 
Then she asked, “ Do you know my Brother 
Benny?” 

“ No.” 


SUSIE 


53 


“ Well, he brung me two chocolate 
mouses. Maybe I’ll give you one.” 

‘‘ I don’t care for it, thank you.” 

Susie looked surprised. “ Why, it’s good. 
You can eat it after you’ve played with it, — 
all but the tail. You can’t eat that, ’cause 
it’s string. If you come upstairs with me 
when I go to bed, you can see them.” 

“ I don’t care to see them ; and I’d rather 
stay down here.” 

“ Well, I wish you would come up with 
me. You could play with them all the 
while I was getting undressed.” 

Estelle now came sliding across the room 
and asked Theodora to dance with her. 
Theodora arose and they swung lightly away 
in a two-step. Susie looked after them long- 
ingly. They were still dancing when Sister 
Margaret came for her to go to bed. 

“ Did you know,” said the little girl, as 
she trudged upstairs at Sister’s side, holding 
her hand, “ Did you know Theodora didn’t 
like chocolate mouses ? ” 

‘‘ No, I didn’t know that.” 

“ Well, she don’t. I told her she could 


54 


THEODORA 


have one of mine, but she didn’t want it.” 
Then Susie sighed again. She wished The- 
odora’s bed-time was at seven, too. 

Upstairs, while she was getting ready 
for bed. Sister talked to her of angels who 
watch over little children and keep them 
from harm. As she tucked the little girl 
into bed, Susie said, “ The angels wouldn’t 
let any bears come, would they ? ” 

“No, dear ; now go to sleep. Good 
night ! ” Sister turned to go but Susie 
called her back. 

“ Sister, are there just dozens and dozens 
of angels } ” 

“Yes, and more than that.” 

“ Just loads and loads ? ” Susie sat up 
in bed in her eagerness and stared at Sister 
with wide-open eyes. 

“ Yes, Susie.” 

“ Just heaps of angels ? ” 

“ Yes ; now lie down and go to sleep.” 
Sister took a step toward the door. 

“ I don’t care,” cried Susie desperately. 
“ There ainH enough! ” 

Sister came back to the bed, and sitting 


SUSIE 


55 


down on the edge of it began to talk to 
her softly and comfortingly. Presently the 
little girl grew quiet and her eyes began 
to blink heavily. It was not until it was 
almost time for Theodora to come to bed, 
however, that Sister Margaret finally left 
the room. By that time Susie was fast 
asleep and dreaming ; — dreaming. Sister 
hoped, of angels and not of the bears that 
had filled her little heart with fear. 


CHAPTER VIII 


THE ART MUSEUM 


NE pleasant Saturday morning Sister 



^ Ruth kept a promise she had made 
some time before to take the children up 
to the Art Museum to see the pictures and 
statuary. 

While they were all waiting in the hall 
ready to start, Estelle crossed to Theodora. 

“ Let us walk together,” she said. 

“Very well.” 

“ Then who am I going to walk with ? ” 
cried Susie. “ I ain’t got anybody.” For 
the others had paired off, too. 

“ You may come with me, dear ; ” and 
Sister Ruth stooped to straighten Susie’s 
little, red, round hat. “ You would like 
that, wouldn’t you ? ” 

“ Yes ; ” but Susie looked longingly after 
Theodora and Estelle. 

Out of doors the air was crisp and wintry. 


66 


THE ART MUSEUM 


57 


and it brought the color into the children’s 
cheeks as the little procession walked 
briskly along, headed by Sister Ruth. As 
they turned into Fifth Avenue a handsome 
brougham rolled by. 

“ That looks almost exactly like my 
aunt’s horse and carriage,” said Theodora. 
“ Only I know she wouldn’t be out so early 
as this.” 

“ At home,” said Estelle, “ I often get 
up long before breakfast and go out to the 
stables or play with the dogs.” 

“ My Aunt Houghton has a dog. He’s 
named Tasso, and he can sit up and beg 
and play dead dog, and do ever so many 
tricks. He’s a Yorkshire terrier, and he’s 
the tiniest one I ever saw. My aunt’s maid 
says he’s very valuable. 

“ I’d like to see him.” 

“ Perhaps you may sometime. She’s com- 
ing to see me soon, and when she does she’ll 
probably bring Tasso, and I’ll tell her you 
want to see him.” 

Estelle was pleased. She meant to be 
great friends with Theodora, and they 


58 


THEODORA 


chattered busily all the way up to the Art 
Museum. Even after they were there 
they still stayed together, while the others 
wandered about looking at this or that. 
Sister kept Susie by her side, and sometimes 
she called two or three of the others to her 
to explain to them some especially beautiful 
bit of carving or statuary. But soon Susie 
grew restless. “ I wish I could go with 
Theodora and Estelle,’’ she said. 

Sister Ruth knew they did not want her. 
“ Don’t you like to be here with me, dear ? ” 
she asked. “ Look at this wonderful little 
church. See ! Isn’t it lovely ? ” 

It was a little model of Notre Dame. 
Susie was interested. 

“ Just like the beautifullest doll-house,” 
she said, holding to the railing and standing 
on tip-toes to see it better. “ Jess look ! 
There’s a tiny little man going in the 
door.” 

“We must not stay here too long,” said 
Sister presently, “or we shall not have 
time to see the pictures this morning.” 
And she gathered her little flock together 


THE ART MUSEUM 


59 


and led them up the broad marble steps to 
the picture galleries above. 

Theodora and Estelle still lingered be- 
hind ; when the others went on to a farther 
room they stopped before a picture of Joan 
of Arc and leaned against the railing look- 
ing at it. 

“ What are all those figures back in the 
trees ? ” asked Theodora. 

“ They’re her vision. Sister Ruth told 
us about it. It’s a funny picture, isn’t 
it ? ” 

“ Her vision ! ” Theodora was very much 
interested. “ That one in front is in ar- 
mor. He must be a knight.” 

“ Where ? Where’s it night, Theodora ? ” 
Susie had joined them and was now try- 
ing to see what the other two little girls 
were looking at, but they paid no atten- 
tion to her. 

“ I don’t think she’s very pretty, do you ? ” 
said Estelle. 

“ I don’t know. I like all that vision. 
It makes me think of a book I have at 
home with beautiful pictures in it of knights 


60 


THEODORA 


and ladies and one of Queen Guine- 
vere.” 

“ Theodora, please put my glove on,” 
Susie broke in again. “ It’s coming off.” 

Theodora shrugged impatiently. “ Oh, 
Susie, you’re such a trouble ! Why don’t 
you stay with Sister ? ” 

“ Yes, Susie,” chimed in Estelle. “ Why 
don’t you stay with Sister ? You’ll get 
taken up by the guard if you don’t look 
out. They don’t allow children here by 
themselves. Didn’t you know that ? ” 

“ No, I didn’t, and it ain’t so, Estelle 
Spears, and you’re by yourself ; — so 
now ! ” 

“ Yes, but Theodora and I are over 
eight. It doesn’t matter if you’re over 
eight. It’s only little girls like you that 
get taken up.” 

‘‘ I don’t believe it. They don’t take 
anybody up, do they, Theodora ? ” 

But Theodora turned away as though 
she had not heard. 

“ All right ! ” said Estelle. “ It doesn’t 
make any difference to me if you want to 


THE ART MUSEUM 


61 


get taken up. Hello, guard ! ” She pre- 
tended to call to him, though she kept 
her voice very low. “ Here’s a little girl, 
and she isn’t six yet, and she won’t stay 
with Sister.” 

“ Now, just you stop that, Estelle Spears; 
you’re just teasing me.” 

“ Am I ? Very well, you’ll just see. 
Come on, Theodora; let’s go and ask him 
if it isn’t so.” She took Theodora’s hand 
and drew her a few steps, but Susie still 
followed them. “ Oh, very well,” she said 
suddenly, “ we won’t let the guard get her, 
will we Theodora I tell you what; let’s 
go and look at the picture of the Horse 
Fair; it’s in one of the galleries. Susie, 
we’ll look in here, and you run over to the 
other door and see if it’s in there; don’t 
you want to ” 

Susie looked at her doubtingly. “ You’ll 
run away.” 

Estelle seemed surprised. “ Run away ! 
Didn’t I say we wanted to see the picture ? 
You see if it’s in there, while we look here. 
It’s a great big picture with a lot of horses 


62 


THEODORA 


coming toward you. You’ll know it because 
it’s the biggest picture on the wall.” 

Susie walked over toward the door rather 
slowly. She glanced back, but the children 
were still waiting for her. Then she ran 
into the other room and looked about. 
Yes, there was a big picture of horses ! 
It must be the one; she was pleased and 
proud at having found it. 

“ Here it is ! ” she called, running back 
to the other gallery. But Estelle and 
Theodora had disappeared. 

She hurried over to the door near which 
they had been standing, and looked into 
the next gallery. They were not there 
either. Where could they have gone ? Some 
grown people in other parts of the room were 
looking at the pictures. An old gentleman 
near by was stooping to examine a small 
landscape. As he turned Susie caught his 
eye. 

“ D-did you see Theodora ? ” she asked 
tremulously. 

“ Eh ? ” He stooped toward her and 
put his hand behind his ear. 


THE ART MUSEUM 


63 


“ Th-Theodora; — I’ve lost her.” 

“ You’ll have to speak louder,” said the 
old gentleman. “ I’m a little deaf.” 

“ Oh, Th-Th-Th-Theodora ! ” cried Su- 
sie, raising her voice. “ Have you seen 
Theodora ? ” 

The old gentleman straightened up and 
looking perplexed. “ The door ! Why, 
there’s one, and there’s one, and there’s 
one ; ” and he pointed with his cane. 

Susie said nothing; she was too bewil- 
dered. 

“ Eh ? ” asked the old gentleman, stoop- 
ing toward her again and putting his hand 
behind his ear. “ Which door do you 
mean ? ” 

“ I don’t know which one,” said Susie, 
miserably. 

The old gentleman looked at her in silence 
for a moment. “ I guess you’re lost,” he 
said at last. “ You come with me, and 
we’ll look up a guard. He’ll know what 
to do.” 

A guard ! Susie gave him one terrified 
took ; then turning she ran down the 


64 


THEODORA 


gallery as fast as she could go. “ Sister 
Ruth ! Sister Ruth ! ” she called. The 
people turned and stared. Running through 
a door without looking where she was 
going she bumped into someone who was 
standing there. She looked up and saw 
gilt buttons and a coat with gold cord on 
the collar. It was a guard himself. Susie 
gasped. Her eyes grew big with terror. 

“ O-oo ! ” she wailed, “ please don’t take 
me up. I ain’t but six but I wisht I was 
eight, and I’m losted ! I’m awful 
losted ! ” 

The guard stooped and took her hand. 
“ Lost, eh ! Where are your people ? ” 

“ Oh, I don’t know; they’re g-gone.” 

“ Gone, are they ? Well, I guess we’ll 
have to take you down to the oflBce and see 
what they say there.” 

“ No, no,” shrieked Susie. “ I don’t 
want to be tooked up.” She dragged at 
her hand but the guard held it tightly. 
“ Sister ! Sister Ruth ! ” she cried despair- 
ingly. 

“ Susie ! What is it ? ” And Sister Ruth 


THE ART MUSEUM 


65 


hurried in from another gallery, followed 
by the other children. Susie tore her hand 
from the guard, and, rushing over, threw 
herself into Sister’s arms. 

“ Don’t let him take me; don’t let him,” 
she sobbed wildly. 

“No one shall take you, no one. There, 
there, my child ! don’t sob so.” 

But Susie had been utterly terrified. She 
wept aloud, while the other children stood 
looking on wonderingly. 

“ Pretty badly scared, wasn’t she ? ” said 
the guard good-naturedly. “ I got a little 
girl of my own about her size, and I guess 
she’d cry just like that if she thought she 
was lost.” 

Estelle and Theodora then came in 
from another gallery. The little group 
was still gathered about Susie. Estelle 
pushed her way in among the other children. 

“ What’s the matter ? ” she asked curi- 
ously. 

“ Susie thought she was lost,” explained 
Sara. 

As Susie saw Estelle she began to sob 


66 


THEODORA 


again. “ Th-they runned away and left 
me; yes, they did.” 

“ Why, Susie ! ” cried Estelle with a sur- 
prised air, “ you went off and left us. We 
were right there and you ran away into 
another gallery.” 

“ But you told me to. You t-t-told me 
you wouldn’t run away.” 

“ Never mind ! ” said Sister Ruth. “ I 
will wipe your eyes, dear, and we won’t 
think any more about it. It’s time to go 
home now, anyway.” She wiped the little 
tear-stained face and straightened the little 
red hat, which was down over one ear. 
Then she thanked the guard, who still lin- 
gered, and, taking Susie’s hand, led the way 
down the museum stairs. 

On the way home Theodora and Estelle 
still walked together, but they did not say 
much. Theodora was uneasy. She wished 
they had not run away from Susie, but it 
was too late to wish that now. When they 
reached the school she and Estelle separated 
almost silently and went to their own 
rooms to put away their things, but Susie 


THE ART MUSEUM 


67 


went with Sister Ruth to have her face 
washed and to be comforted, for she was 
still a rather tearful and unhappy little 
girl. 


CHAPTER IX 

SISTER MARGARET 

T ATER in the afternoon, while the 
children were playing in the parlor, 
Sister Grace came to Theodora and said 
Sister Margaret wished her to come up to 
the community-room. Theodora wondered 
uneasily why she was to go up there. The 
community-room was where the Sisters kept 
their own especial books and work and 
where they sat in the evenings after the little 
girls were in bed. It was not often that 
the children went in there. 

When she entered. Sister Margaret was 
sitting at the big centre table busy over some 
account books. She looked up at Theodora 
with a smile as she stood in the doorway. 
“ Sit down, my dear,” she said. “ I will 
be through in just a minute.” 

Theodora sat down and watched Sister 
as she rapidly ran her pencil down the rows 
68 


SISTER MARGARET 


69 


of figures. She noticed the way her lips 
moved silently now and then; she noticed, 
too, how slim and white her hands were. 
On the third finger of her left hand she wore 
a plain gold ring, as did all the Sisters. 
Presently she closed her book and pushed 
it aside, and turned again to Theodora 
with a smile. 

‘‘ When I was a little girl,’’ she said, 
“ I disliked arithmetic so much that I 
made up my mind after I was grown I 
would not even think of it, but I’ve been 
obliged to think of it a great deal. I can’t 
even leave it in the school-room now-a-days, 
as I used to do. I think everybody has 
one study that seems especially hard. Which 
do you think is the hardest ? ” 

“ I don’t think I know.” 

"" Poor Sara seems to find history the 
hardest, with all its dates; and for Susie 
it is writing.” Sister Margaret paused for 
a moment. She still looked at Theodora 
with gentle kindliness, but she was not 
smiling now. 

“ It was to talk about Susie that I sent 


70 


THEODORA 


for you this afternoon, my dear. She is 
to be your little room-mate this winter, 
and I want you to know something about 
her. She is, of course, a great deal younger 
than you, but I think you will find her a 
very pleasant room-mate, she is so loving 
and warm-hearted, and so eager to please. 
Of course you don’t know her very well, 
though, as yet. But I wanted to tell you 
something about her home and her life. 
She hasn’t any father or mother, only her 
brother Benny. He is very good to her, 
but he is away at work all day, and as long 
as Susie lived with him he had to leave her 
in the charge of some of the neighbors when 
he was out. Sometimes they were kind to 
her, and sometimes they were not. It was 
not a very happy life for her, and I want 
this winter, the one she spends with us, to 
be a very, very happy one, so that she will 
always remember it. I think it will be; I 
hope it will. I know she is happy in being 
with you, for she loves you already, and 
would rather be with you than with any- 


SISTER MARGARET 


71 


“ But I don’t want to have her with me,” 
said Theodora. 

Sister Margaret was silent for a moment. 
Then she said, “ Your life has been so 
different from Susie’s that I don’t suppose 
you can quite understand how much every 
little bit of pleasure counts with her, or 
how she longs to have people love her and 
be kind to her. You have had so much 
happiness in your life and so many people 
have always loved you and tried to help 
you have a happy time, and Susie, you see, 
has had almost nothing, — almost no one.” 

Theodora said nothing; she was looking 
down and did not meet Sister’s eyes. 

“ Now dear, won’t you help us to make 
this winter happy for Susie ? Of course, 
as I said, you are a great deal older, but 
several of the children have little sisters as 
young as she is, and perhaps they love them 
better and can do more for them just be- 
cause they are younger.” 

“ But she isn’t my sister,” cried Theo- 
dora quickly. 

Sister Margaret waited a moment before 


72 


THEODORA 


she answered. When she spoke her voice 
was very soft and gentle. 

“ When our dear Lord was here on 
earth he said all men were brothers, and 
that means that we are all sisters, too.” 

Again Theodora was silent. She wished 
she could go. She did not like to be talked 
to in this way. “ That was all I wished 
to say, dear,” Sister concluded. She rose 
and Theodora rose, too, and stood uncer- 
tainly. “ You may go now, but I want 
you to think over what I have said to you.” 
She smiled and nodded, and then Theodora 
went on out. 

She went down the stairs very slowly, 
feeling angry and resentful. Sister had 
no right to try to make her like Susie, 
and she wouldn’t ! She wouldn’t ! A little 
girl whom she had never wanted to have in 
her room ! 

She opened the parlor door and there was 
Susie at the table, playing some game 
or other. She looked over at Theodora 
eagerly, as though she hoped she would 
come and play too, but Theodora did not. 


SISTER MARGARET 


73 


Instead she went over to the window and 
stood looking out. She meant never to 
play with Susie again. She was not her 
sister, and she was not going to act as 
though she were, whatever Sister Margaret 
might say, and she wished she could go 
away from the School. She hated it; yes, 
just hated it. 


CHAPTER X 

WHAT ESTELLE AND THEODORA DID 

TN the days that followed, Theodora 
kept away from Susie as much as she 
could. 

One day she was showing Estelle a large 
doll which she had brought with her to the 
School. It was a very beautiful doll. It 
was dressed like a child of three or four. 
It had little teeth and could say mamma and 
papa. 

While she and Estelle were looking at it, 
Susie came into the room. She had not 
been well for a day or two. Her face was 
pale and her eyes were heavy. 

Theodora glanced over her shoulder and 
frowned. “ Run away, Susie,” she said ; 
“ we’re busy.” 

“ I don’t want to run away ; I want to stay 
here with you.” 

Theodora drew the tissue paper over 

74 


ESTELLE AND THEODORA 75 


the doll that Susie might not see it. “ Oh, 
Susie ! You’re such a bother ! Why don’t 
you run down and play with the others ” 

“ I don’t want to. I ain’t well. Sister 
Margaret says I ain’t. She says I’ve got 
a cold.” 

“ Well, I wish you’d go somewhere else,” 
said Estelle brusquely. 

“ No, I ain’t a-goin’ to. I’m agoin’ to 
stay right here, Estelle Spears,” Susie de- 
clared with spirit. “ It’s my room too.” 

“ Very well,” said Estelle. “ Then we’ll 
go some place else, Theodora.” 

Theodora hastily laid her doll back in 
the drawer, and she and Estelle went out 
of the room. 

“ You needn’t go,” called Susie, “ ’cause 
I’m going myself,” but they did not answer. 

Susie followed out into the hall, and 
Estelle looking back, saw her. “ She’s 
coming,” she cried ; “ quick ! come in here.” 
She took Theodora’s hand and together 
they ran into one of the class-rooms. As 
they ran they felt a sudden sense of excite- 
ment as though someone were in pursuit 


76 


THEODORA 


of them, and Estelle pulled Theodora in be- 
hind a door where they could not be seen. 
“ Keep quiet,” she whispered, “ and she 
won’t know where we are.” 

Susie came slowly down the hall. “You 
needn’t hide,” she called, “ ’cause I don’t 
want to find you. I don’t care where 
you are.” She stopped and listened, but 
there was no answer. “ I don’t care where 
you are,” she repeated. She came to the 
class-room door and stood looking in. 

“ Sh ! ” Estelle breathed to Theodora. 

“ I know you’re hiding,” Susie said to 
the empty stillness of the room, “ but I 
ain’t a-going to look for you. I’m looking 
for my slate.” She pretended to herself 
that that was really what she wanted to 
find. She went over to the table and pushed 
the things about. The room was very 
quiet. She wondered where the others 
could be. Perhaps they were in the smaller 
class-room beyond, where the Sisters kept 
their school-supplies and presently she went 
on in there. Estelle slipped out from be- 
hind the door, where she was hiding, and 


ESTELLE AND THEODORA 17 


hurried across the room; Theodora won- 
dered what she was going to do. The 
next moment she had shut the door of 
the little class-room and locked Susie in. 
Then she ran back and caught Theodora 
by the hand. ‘‘ Hurry ! ” She drew her 
out into the hall, closing the door behind 
them. There they stood looking at each 
other, Estelle’s hand still on the knob. 
They could faintly hear Susie calling, and 
then a soft thumping as though she were 
beating on the door. 

“ Why did you do that ? ” asked Theo- 
dora, half frightened. 

Estelle laughed excitedly. “ Oh, just for 
fun — to teach her not to follow us.” 

‘‘ Aren’t you going to let her out ? ” 

‘‘ Yes, in a minute or so.” They listened ; 
all was quiet now. “ She’s listening to 
hear whether we’re coming,” whispered 
Estelle. 

“ Children ! ” The little girls started 
violently. Sister Grace had come along 
the hall unnoticed and was now close to 
them. “ I wish one of you would go down 


78 


THEODORA 


and tell Sister Ruth I have those books 
she asked for ready for her now.” The 
children hesitated and looked at each 
other. “ Do you want anything up here ? ” 
she added. 

“ No.” 

“ You had better both go on downstairs 
then.” 

“ Theodora hasn’t put away her doll,” 
said Estelle quickly. 

“ Oh, very well ; she may put it away, 
of course, but after that I would rather she 
went on down, and I would like you to take 
my message at once, Estelle.” 

The little girls again exchanged glances. 
Then, very slowly, Estelle went to the 
stairs and began to descend them. Neither 
of the children wished to let Susie out while 
Sister Grace was there. However, Estelle 
felt sure Theodora would open the door in 
a little while as soon as Sister had gone. 
Unfortunately when Theodora went back to 
her room Sister Grace went with her. She 
had never seen the little girl’s doll before, 
and she was very much interested in its 


ESTELLE AND THEODORA 79 


grandeur. She examined its exquisitely 
made little clothes, all trimmed with fine 
lace and hand embroidery, and made it 
say mamma and papa again and again. 
Then she told about a doll she had had when 
she was a child, and which had melted 
before the fire where she had put it to get 
warm. It seemed ages to Theodora before 
Sister had done and she was free to leave 
the room. Sister stayed behind to arrange 
something and Theodora hurried along 
the hall. Now was the chance to let Susie 
out, but when she reached the class-room 
the doors were already open. She stood 
there blankly for a moment. Susie was 
gone ! Then Theodora drew a deep breath 
of relief. Estelle must have found a chance 
to come up and let Susie out. She ran on 
down to the school parlor, but as she went 
she again grew anxious. She wondered 
what Susie would say and whether she 
had told the Sisters. Anyway, it was Estelle 
who had locked her in. But Susie was not 
in the parlor. 

Estelle looked around as Theodora entered 


80 


THEODORA 


and then left the children she was with 
and came to meet her. “ Did you let her 
out ? ” she asked in a hasty whisper. 

Theodora stopped short, staring at her 
in dismay. “ No ; didn’t you ? ” 

“ I ! How could I ? You know Sister 
Grace sent me down-stairs; but you were 
up there. Do you mean you didn’t let her 
out?” 

“ I couldn’t ; ” Theodora explained, and 
then told how she had found the door already 
open when she had gone to unlock it. 

“ Well I thought of course you would let 
her out,” repeated Estelle; and then she 
turned away and went back to the others, 
Theodora followed slowly. 

Some little time later Sister Margaret 
came to the door of the parlor. 

“ Theodora and Estelle, I want you to 
go up to the community-room,” she said. 

Theodora knew now. It must have been 
Sister Margaret who had unlocked the door, 
and she must have found Susie there. Was 
she very angry ? 

“ What do you suppose Sister will say ? ” 


ESTELLE AND THEODORA 81 


she asked in a low tone as she and Estelle 
went upstairs together. 

“ I don’t know,” answered Estelle, “ but, 
anyway, I thought you had let her out.” 
She walked on into the community-room 
and stooped to tie a loose shoe-string. 
Then she looked about and picked up a 
rule from Sister Grace’s basket and began 
to open and shut it. Presently she added, 
“ Mamma doesn’t like me to play with 
children like Susie, anyway.” 

Theodora glanced quickly over her 
shoulder. Sister Margaret had come into 
the room, and had closed the door behind 
her. She went over to the table and sat 
down beside it, pushing some books aside. 
Her face was very grave. 

“ Children,” she began, “ I fancy you 
know why I sent you up here, and what 
I wish to speak to you about.” 

They were both silent. 

‘‘ Don’t you ? ” 

“ Yes,” answered Theodora breathlessly. 

“ Do you know, Estelle ? Put down 
that rule, my dear.” 


82 


THEODORA 


“ I suppose so,” said Estelle, dropping 
the rule back into the work-basket. 

“ It is about Susie. You have both acted 
most unkindly toward a little girl who is 
younger and more dependent than your- 
selves.” 

“ Sister Margaret, she kept following us 
around, and we told her not to,” said 
Estelle. 

“ Yes, I know, Estelle. But that is not 
the point. A school is not a place where 
children come merely to have a pleasant 
time and to do what they like. Whatever 
Susie did, you had no right to treat her 
in such a way. To lock her in a room ! I 
cannot imagine how two little girls, brought 
up as gently as you have been, could do 
such a thing. Susie’s rights here are quite 
the same as yours, and it is not your place 
to try to control her in any way.” 

“ Well, then. Sister, won’t you tell her not 
to follow us around ? ” broke in Estelle. 

“ No.” Sister spoke gently but decid- 
edly. “ You have not been so kind to 
Susie, however, that she will wish to be 


ESTELLE AND THEODORA 83 


with you, I think. What I wished espe- 
cially to tell you and Theodora is that every 
scholar in this school has an equal right to 
be treated gently and kindly, and that I do 
not wish such ungentleness and unkindness 
as yours of to-day ever to occur again.” 

Estelle stood, looking down with a sul- 
len expression and running her finger over 
the pattern of the table-cover. 

“ And now, I wish you both to stay 
upstairs until to-morrow morning,” Sister 
continued. “ Esther will bring your suppers 
to you. You may stay in the class-rooms, 
if you choose, but I do not wish you to be 
together, nor to talk with the other children. 
Now you may go.” 

The children left the room in silence and 
went slowly down the hall. 

“ Where are you going, Estelle ? ” asked 
Theodora in a low voice. 

“ I don’t know, but I know one thing; I 
just wish I’d never come to this hateful old 
School.” 

Then she went away to her own room, 
leaving Theodora to go wherever she chose. 


84 


THEODORA 


Theodora wandered into one of the empty 
class-rooms. By one of the windows there 
was a bowl of goldfish. Usually Theodora 
loved to watch them swim about, but to-day 
she found no pleasure in them. She had 
never been spoken to as Sister Margaret 
had spoken to her. She too wished that 
she had never come to the school, and she 
longed above all to be at home again, where 
there was no little girl to follow her around, 
and no one to scold her and to think she 
was doing wrong. 


CHAPTER XI 

A LONELY EVENING 


rpHEODORA stayed by herself until 
^ Esther brought up her supper. After- 


ward she tried to read, but she grew more 
and more lonely. She wondered where 
Estelle was and whether she were lonely, 
too. 

By and by Sister Ruth came in. “ It 
is bed-time, Theodora,” she said in a 
kindly tone. “ You are not to sleep in 
your own room to-night ; you are to be in the 
room next to Sister Margaret’s. Susie is 
feverish this evening and Sister is afraid you 
might disturb each other.” 

Theodora glanced up^quickly. “ I would 
rather sleep in my own room F ” 

“ Not to-night, dear, but to-morrow, if 
Susie is better, you may.” 

It all seemed to Theodora part of the 
86 


86 


THEODORA 


loneliness and unhappiness, to sleep in 
a strange room, where she had none of 
her own little things around her, and to have 
Sister Ruth to help her undress instead of 
Sister Margaret. She was quite worn out, 
however, with all the excitement of the day, 
and as soon as she was in bed she fell fast 
asleep. 

She was awakened in the morning by 
Esther’s coming into the room. For a 
few moments she lay watching her in sleepy 
content as she drew up the blinds and 
moved about softly. 

Then she asked, “ Where is Sister Mar- 
garet ? ” 

Esther looked around. “ Good-morning, 
Miss ! Sister says I’m to help you dress 
this morning. Miss ; she’s gone to lie 
down.” 

“ To lie down ! Why ? ” 

“ She’s been hup with Miss Susie hall 
night Miss, and she’s quite wore out.” 

“ Up with Susie ? ” 

“ Yes, Miss ; she was hill all last night, 
Miss, — flighty-like, as you might say, and 


A LONELY EVENING 


87 


Sister sat up with her. They’ve sent for 
the doctor now.” 

“ She — she’s not very ill, is she ? ” 
asked Theodora. 

“ I couldn’t say, Miss. She’s had a cold 
for several days and it seems she was took 
worse last evening.” 

Theodora’s heart sank. She thought how 
she and Estelle had locked Susie up. Could 
that have made her ill ? 

As soon as the last button was fastened 
and Esther would let her go, Theodora ran 
downstairs in search of Estelle. She wanted 
to tell her of Susie’s illness and ask her 
what she thought of it. Estelle did not 
come down until late, however, and Theo- 
dora had no chance to speak to her alone 
until after breakfast. Then she drew her 
aside, where the others could not overhear 
them. 

“ Did you know Susie was ill ? ” she 
asked. 

“ No ; who said she was F ” 

“ Esther. She said Sister was up with 
her all night, and she didn’t come down 


88 


THEODORA 


to breakfast this morning, you know.’’ 
Then she asked in a lower tone, “ Do you 
suppose our — our locking her up made 
her ill.^^” 

“ No, I don’t. I don’t see why that 
should make her sick, and I think Sister 
made a dreadful fuss over it, anyway. She 
was only there for a few minutes, and I 
don’t see what harm it did ; ” and then 
Estelle ran away to join the other children. 

But Theodora could not feel easy about 
the matter. She lingered around for a while 
and then she went hesitatingly out into the 
hall and upstairs. She crept to the door of 
her own room and listened for a moment; 
all was still. The door was ajar, and she 
pushed it wider open and looked in. No 
one was there except Susie; she was lying 
in her little bed, her face partly turned 
away. 

“ Susie ! ” said Theodora softly. The 
little girl took no notice. Theodora crossed 
the room to the bed. “ Do you feel very 
sick, Susie ? ” she asked. Susie turned her 
head slightly and looked at Theodora, but 


A LONELY EVENING 


89 


still she did not speak. Her cheeks were 
flushed and her eyelids heavy. 

“ Would you like me to stay and play 
with you ? ” 

Susie showed no pleasure, and after a 
moment she shook her head slightly. 

At this moment Sister Grace came into 
the room. She seemed surprised to see 
Theodora, and taking her hand she led 
her to the door. “ You must not come in 
here, dear,” she said. “ Susie is ill, and 
cannot play with you. Run away to the 
others.” 

“ I don’t want to. Sister. I want to stay 
with Susie.” 

“ No, my dear; ” Sister still spoke gently 
but very decidedly. “ Susie is too ill for 
you to talk to her now. You must not 
come in again.” And then Theodora went 
out and Sister closed the door behind 
her. 

The day was a long and dreary one for 
Theodora, and she hardly knew what to 
do with herself. The Sisters were very 
pleasant and kind to her, but she was sure 


90 


THEODORA 


they all knew what she had done. She 
wondered if the other children knew it too. 
She took a book and tried to read for a 
time, but very soon she laid it down and 
stole upstairs again. She hoped she might 
see Sister Margaret, but Sister was with 
Susie almost constantly now, and Theodora 
dared not go to the room again. Once the 
door opened and she caught a glimpse of 
Sister, talking with the doctor. She drew 
back into the class-room, and then the 
doctor came out and the door was closed 
again. Aftei; he had gone she stole along 
the entry and put her hand on the knob. 
‘‘ Sister Margaret ! ” she said in a whisper, 
but no one answered, and she went away 
again, afraid and lonely. 

That night it was again Esther who put 
her to bed. 

“ I hope Susie will be better soon, 
Esther,” she said uneasily, as the maid 
tucked her in. 

“ Oh, I hope so. Miss. But anyways there 
ain’t no use your worryin’ your ’ead about 
it. Miss, with Sister Margaret there and the 


A LONELY EVENING 


91 


doctor coming again to-morrow.” Then 
she glanced about the room to see that 
everything was as it should be, gave a last 
look at the fire, bade the little girl good- 
night and went away. 

After she had gone Theodora lay watch- 
ing the big shadows of the chairs and tables 
as they changed and wavered in the light of 
the purring fire. She had never in all 
her life felt so alone and so unhappy as 
now. If only Sister Margaret had come 
in to wish her good-night ! Perhaps Susie 
was too sick for her to leave her. She must 
be very ill. Suddenly a terrible thought 
flashed into Theodora’s mind, a thought 
that seemed to stop her breath for a minute. 
What if Susie did not get better ! What 
then.^^ What would Sister Margaret say 
and Susie’s brother ? She drew up the 
covers, to shut out the shadows. If only 
her father would come home; she wanted 
him. Oh, how she wanted him ! Nobody 
else cared for her ! She was so lonely ! 
The tears trickled down her cheeks and 
she began to sob. 


92 


THEODORA 


She sobbed for what seemed to her a long 
time. Then suddenly she held her breath 
and listened. Some one had come into 
the room ; a hand was laid upon the covers 
and they were gently drawn down from 
her face. Sister Margaret was bending 
over the bed. 

“ Theodora ! ” she said. The little girl 
made no answer. “ Theodora ! ” 

“ Yes, Sister Margaret,” answered the 
child in a smothered voice. 

“ What is the matter, my dear ? ” 
Theodora hid her face in the pillow. 

“ Is it about Susie ? ” 

Theodora did not stir. 

Sister Margaret sat down on the edge of 
the bed and put her arm about the little 
girl. 

“ Tell me, dear child, is it about Susie ? ” 
“ I want my father,” sobbed Theodora. 
Sister Margaret stroked the dark hair 
softly. Poor child ! ” she murmured. 
“ It has been an unhappy day, hasn’t it, 
dear ? ” She said nothing more but sat 
there in silence smoothing the little girl’s 


A LONELY EVENING 


93 


hair. Theodora found comfort in her 
presence and her soothing touch. Presently 
her sobs died away, and she lay quiet. Then 
Sister Margaret spoke again. 

“You must not cry any more, dear, but 
try to go to sleep. The doctor thinks 
Susie will be better soon, and when she is 
better you will want to come in and play 
with her, won’t you ? You know how she 
loves to have you with her.” 

“ Yes,” breathed Theodora, with a catch 
in her voice. She slipped her hand into 
Sister’s. 

“ Do you know,” Sister Margaret went 
on in her gentle voice, “ I have been think- 
ing a great deal about you and Susie to-day. 
Long ago, when I was a child, I had a little 
sister, and there was just about as much 
difference in our ages as there is between 
yours and Susie’s.” Theodora listened in- 
tently. It seemed strange to think that 
Sister Margaret had ever been a little girl. 

“ I loved my little sister dearly, but 
sometimes I was very impatient with her 
because she wanted to be with me, and I 


94 


THEODORA 


thought I was too big a girl to play with her 
all the time. One day my little sister was 
not very well. I was going out with some 
of my little friends that afternoon, and she 
begged me to stay and play with her instead, 
but I would not. She cried when she saw 
me putting on my hat, but my mother took 
her on her lap and rocked her and sang 
to her, and I ran away, feeling very selfish 
and not very happy either. That night she 
was quite ill, and the next day too, and for 
many days after, and I was not allowed to see 
her or to go to her room. I could have 
played with the other children all the 
time then, but I did not care to. I was 
very lonely and unhappy, you may be sure ; 
I would have given anything to have my 
little sister there to follow me about and 
cling to me. After a time she grew better, 
and then I was allowed to be with her again. 
I think I loved her more than ever before, 
and she loved me better, too, and we had 
very lovely playtimes together, and we were 
very, very happy.” 

“ Where is she now ? ” asked Theodora. 


A LONELY EVENING 


95 


** She died afterwards, dear, while she 
was still quite a little girl. It used to make 
me unhappy to think how often I had 
run away from her, but it does not now. I 
think sometimes when we have been a little 
unkind to people we love, the very remem- 
brance of it makes them dearer to us than 
ever. We are so eager to show them that 
we did not mean to be unkind. 

“ Oh, Sister Margaret,” said Theodora, 
“ do you think Susie will die ? ” 

“ No, dear, no ; the doctor thinks she 
will be better very soon.” 

“ If she is better, may I go in to-morrow 
and play with her ? ” 

“ Yes, indeed ; or, if not to-morrow, 
then as soon as she is well enough : and it 
will make her very happy to have you.” 
Sister Margaret rose and smoothed the 
covers. “ Now try to go to sleep, dear 
child, for it is growing very late. Good 
night ! ” She stooped and kissed Theodora 
and then softly left the room. 

After she had gone Theodora lay very 
quiet, thinking of to-morrow. She was 


96 


THEODORA 


no longer lonely nor sad. She was wonder- 
ing which of her many playthings Susie 
would love best to play with. “ I shall let 
her have my big doll,” she thought. “ She 
will like that; and the music box.” Theo- 
dora thought she would give the music box 
to her for her very own and perhaps the blue 
fairy book, too. So, thinking of Susie and 
of how pleased she would be, she drifted 
away at last into a tranquil sleep. 


CHAPTER XII 


AN AFTERNOON WITH SUSIE 

TT was not until two days later that 
Susie was well enough for Theodora 
to go in and play with her. She was lying 
propped up in bed then, with a little pink 
dressing-sack on, and her hair was tied 
back with pink ribbons. She looked pale 
and languid, but her face brightened as she 
saw Theodora. 

“ Oh, I’m so glad you’ve earned,” shecried ; 
‘‘ and we’re going to have a tea-party.” 

“ Are you ? ” said Theodora. “ That’s 
very nice.” 

“ Yes, you and me both ; Sister Felicita’s 
gone down to get the party now. I was 
going to have my dolls play with me, but 
I’d rather have you.’ 

“ Shall I get my doll too ? ” 

“ Oh, would you ? W-w- would you 
Theodora ? ” cried Susie eagerly. 

97 


98 


THEODORA 


‘‘ Yes, I’ll get her now.” 

Theodora went to the bureau, and, 
opening the drawer, lifted out her doll and 
took off the tissue paper. Then she brought 
it over to the bed and laid it in Susie’s 
arms. Susie looked down at it with ecstacy, 
at its golden curls, its rosy cheeks, and its 
great dark eyes, half closed as it lay there 
in her arms. “ Ain’t she beautiful ? ” she 
sighed softly. “ I n-never did hold her 
before ; did I, Theodora ? ” 

“ No, but you may play with her as often 
as you would like to now.” 

“ May I t-t-truly ? ” 

“Yes, whenever you choose.” Theodora 
showed Susie how the doll’s little slippers 
and stockings could be taken off, leaving 
the pink dimpled feet bare. “ You know 
she can talk, too,” she explained. “ When 
you pull this string she says ‘ mamma,’ and 
when you pull this other string she says 
‘ papa.’ ” Susie pulled them and made 
her speak several times. “ It’s almost as 
though she were alive, isn’t it ? ” asked 
Theodora. 



“ ‘Ain’t she beautiful?’ she sighed softly 


99 


Page 98, 



AN AFTERNOON WITH SUSIE 99 


‘‘ Yes,” Susie agreed ; then she looked 
sideways at Theodora. “ I had a live doll 
once,” she said. 

“ Oh, Susie ! There isn’t such a thing.” 

“ Yes, a live doll, really and truly.” 

“ You oughtn’t to say ‘ really and truly ’ 
because there couldn’t be such a thing, and 
Sister wouldn’t like you to say it.” 

“ Well it was, because it was a pussy-cat, 
I used to dress it up in clothes and play 
doll with it.” 

“ Oh, that kind of a doll ! I thought 
you meant a real one.” 

“ It was a sort of real one — only it 
runned away. It was Mrs. Smiff’s cat, 
and she had three of them, and she let me 
name ’em all, ’cause I knew such nice names. 
There was Coaly, and she was the one that 
runned away, and Animal Dewey, and she 
stayed at the grocery store all the time, and 
Prince of Wales and she went under the 
house and never did come out; but she 
scratched awful, anyway.” 

Esther, in the next room, was moving 
some furniture around. 


100 


THEODORA 


“ Don’t it sound like thunder ? ” re- 
marked Susie. 

“ Yes, it does sound like it. Are you 
afraid of thunder ? ” 

“ Yes, I’m awful scared of it. I should 
think the angels would be afraid, shouldn’t 
you ? right up there where it is ? ” 

“ Oh, I don’t believe they’re in the same 
place.” 

“ Yes they are, right up there in the 
sky,” said Susie positively. “ I should 
think they’d be afraid it would shake them 
down. Just suppose it’d thunder so hard 
it’d shake one down and he’d fall right into 
this house.” 

There was a little noise at the door and 
Susie glanced around with a startled look, 
but it was only Estelle. She had been pass- 
ing and had heard their voices, and now she 
pushed the door further open and looked in. 
“ I didn’t know you were here,” she said to 
Theodora ; then she added, “ You’re better 
now, aren’t you, Susie ? ” 

Susie looked at her from under her 
brows, and nodded. 


AN AFTERNOON WITH SUSIE 101 


“ Won’t Sister let you get up yet ? ” 

“ N-no, but she says maybe I may to- 
morrow.” 

Estelle’s eyes wandered to the big doll 
which Susie still held. “ You’re letting 
Susie play with your doll, aren’t you, 
Theodora ? ” 

“ Yes.” 

Estelle was silent for a moment; then 
she said, “ Sister Ruth is going to take us 
all up to the menagerie ; isn’t that fun ? I 
came up to tell you. Come and we’ll get 
our things on.” 

Susie’s mouth drooped pitifully. “ I 
wisht I could go, too.” 

“ But you can’t, because you’re sick. 
Maybe we’ll go some other time though. 
Come on, Theodora.” 

“ Won’t you stay here with me, Theo- 
dora ? ” begged Susie. “ P-please do ; ’cause 
we’re going to play tea-party, you 
know.” 

“ Oh, but they’re all going, Susie. I’ll 
play with you some other day.” 

“ But I want you to stay now, ’cause 


102 


THEODORA 


I’ve been awful sick, and I’m sol-lonesing 
without you.” 

“ Oh, Susie, she can’t stay now; we’re 
all to go,” Estelle interrupted. 

Susie’s lips trembled and two big tears 
gathered in her eyes. 

“ Oh, well, I believe I’ll stay,” said 
Theodora. “ I don’t care very much for 
the menagerie anyway.” 

“ Oh, come on, Theodora ! ” urged Estelle. 
“We’re going to have such fun, and we 
haven’t been there for ever so long.” 

But Theodora shook her head, “ No, I 
don’t think I will.” 

“ All right for you ! ” cried Estelle, 
angrily, and she ran on downstairs. 

Then Susie was radiant. She had Theo- 
dora to play with, and she had the doll, and 
presently when Sister Eelicita came up- 
stairs she had the tea-party, too. There 
were little crackers and orangeade, and for 
Theodora some sweet cakes, but Susie 
might not eat any of these because she had 
been ill ; she did not mind, however, as long 
as Theodora had them. They played almost 


AN AFTERNOON WITH SUSIE 103 


all the afternoon and then, after a time, 
Sister Margaret came in and read aloud 
to them. Theodora was surprised when 
she heard the voices of the other children 
and found they had already returned. She 
had had no idea it was so late, the afternoon 
had gone so quickly. 


CHAPTER XIII 

THE SCHOOL ENTERTAINMENT 

TT was not long before Susie was well 
again and able to come back to school. 
Her illness had been a great event to her, 
and she was proud of having been so 
“ awful sick.” She liked nothing better 
than to tell about it over and over, but 
the other children did not seem to care to 
listen. They were all busy with their own 
affairs. 

Christmas was drawing near, and the 
Sisters had planned to have a school 
entertainment before the children separated 
for the holidays. There were to be reci- 
tations and music and a little French play 
in which Theodora and Estelle were to 
take the principal parts. Susie was to have 
her own little place in the programme, 
too. She was to recite some verses which 
Sister Margaret had taught her, — verses 
104 


SCHOOL ENTERTAINMENT 105 


about a child who hid behind a sofa to 
catch Santa Claus, and when she heard 
him coming was so frightened that she 
dared not look. Susie said them very pret- 
tily, and Sister Margaret was quite pleased 
with the way she put her hands over her 
eyes and peeped through the fingers when 
she told how frightened she was. 

The others were all busy practising, too, 
between lesson times, and every day Sister 
Grace drilled some of them. Then at 
last came the great day itself, and in the 
morning all the children were gathered in 
the long school-parlor for the final rehearsal. 
A stage had been erected at one end of the 
room, but it was not quite finished and the 
carpenters were still hammering at it. 

Susie hurried about with an important 
air, her stiff little skirts waggling from side 
to side as she went. Hastening along 
without looking where she was going, she 
ran into a carpenter who was stooping 
down beside the stage. He was a big fat 
man with a red face. 

“ Oh, p-please ’sense me,” cried Susie, 


106 


THEODORA 


“ I d-didn’t see you. I was looking for 
Theodora.” 

The carpenter’s eyes twinkled. “ Is she 
bigger than I am, Miss ? ” he asked. 

“ Oh, no ; not near as big. She ain’t 
much bigger than me.” 

“ Well, I guess you better get a spy-glass 
to find her then. If I’m too little for you 
to see I don’t see how you’ll ever find 
her.” And the man began picking nails 
out of his mouth and hammering them 
into a board. 

“ Oh, Th-Theodora, there you are ! ” 
cried Susie, suddenly catching sight of 
her. “ Won’t you please hear me say 
my piece Here’s the book.” 

Theodora also had a book in her hand. 
She was saying over to herself her lines 
in the French play. 

“ I can’t hear you, Susie,” she said. 

Go and find Sister.” 

“ Oh, no ; I c-can’t. Sister said I knew 
it perfect, and I d-didn’t ought to say it 
any more.” 

“ Then why do you want to ? ” 


SCHOOL ENTERTAINMENT 107 


“ Because I keep forgetting to make my 
bow at the first. Please hear me. W-won’t 
you } ” And before Theodora could stop 
her, she had made her bow and was rattling 
off her lines. 

<^Tis Christmas eve,’ said little Jane, 

‘And I must go to bed. 

If I’m asleep I will not hear 
The reindeer overhead. 

I think if I should — ’ ” 

But Theodora hastily interrupted her. 
“ I don’t want to hear you. I’m busy ; run 
away.” 

Susie reluctantly went over and sat 
down on the edge of the stage. She tucked 
one foot under her, and swinging the 
other gabbled over her lines to herself 
several times. Then Sister Ruth came 

by- 

“ Oh, S-Sister, I can just say my lines 
’thout thinking at all, and with my eyes 
tight shut. Will you hear me ? ” 

She slipped her foot from under her and 
stood up, but the next moment she stumbled 
and caught Sister Ruth’s hand. 


108 


THEODORA 


“ Ouch ! ” she cried, “ my shoe’s all full 
of stars, and they prinkle dreadful.” 

Sister Ruth smiled. “ Your foot has 
gone to sleep, dearie.” But Susie would 
have it that she felt stars. 

The children who were standing near 
laughed, all except Estelle, who turned away 
with a contemptuous look. 

“ She’s such a stupid little thing,” she 
whispered to Theodora. “ I don’t see 
what makes you let her tag about after you 
all the time.” 

“ But I don’t.” 

“ Yes, you do, and Sister Margaret just 
encourages her. I heard her ask if she 
might sit next to you this afternoon, and 
Sister said she might.” 

“ She did?” 

“Yes. And you’l| see; she’ll just be 
following you about all afternoon.” 

“ No, she won’t ; ” and Theodora’s mouth 
took a determined look. “ I won’t allow 
her to.” 

Estelle put her arm over Theodora’s 
shoulder. “ I’m so glad ; for she’s such a 


SCHOOL ENTERTAINMENT 109 


nuisance. I’ll tell you what we’ll do. My 
cousin Tom and Corinne are coming, and 
we’ll all have our ice-cream together. Tom’s 
just as funny ! And Corinne’s the prettiest 
thing ! You’ll see.” 

What fun it was going to be ! 

All the morning the children were busy 
rehearsing, and as soon as luncheon was 
over they hurried upstairs to dress for the 
entertainment. 

Quite early in the afternoon the long 
parlor began to fill with guests. There was 
a soft rustle of silks and hum of voices as 
they took their places or stood talking 
together. Sister Margaret and Sister Grace 
moved about among them, chatting with 
one or another. The curtains had been 
drawn across the windows and the lights 
lighted. The warm air was full of the 
perfume of flowers, spicy pinks and roses, 
that stood, long stemmed and crisp, in the 
vases on the mantel. 

Presently Sister Ruth went to the piano 
and began to play. The stir and hum 
of voices died down, there was a pause. 


110 


THEODORA 


and then the children came in and took 
their places in the first two rows of chairs 
which had been reserved for them. 

The music ended with a few soft chords 
and Sister Margaret rose. 

“ The first thing on our programme/’ 
she announced, “ is a Chopin mazurka, 
by Edith Brinton.” 

Edith, a gentle, self-possessed little girl, 
arose, went up the steps to the stage and 
took her seat before the piano which had 
been placed there. She played very well, 
and when she finished there was a soft 
clapping of gloved hands. A bunch of 
pinks was handed up to her and there was 
more applause. 

Sister Margaret waited until she had 
taken her place among the other children 
again and there was silence. 

“ ‘ When Santa Claus came : ’ reci- 
tation by Susie Martin,” she announced. 

Susie cast one wide, frightened look at 
Theodora. Then she slipped from her 
chair and went up on the stage. Standing 
there all alone she made her little bow; 


SCHOOL ENTERTAINMENT 111 


she did not forget that, but after the bow 
there was a pause. How did the piece 
begin ? Oh, how did it begin ! She twisted 
her fingers together, and the color slowly 
faded from her cheeks. There was a tense, 
uncomfortable silence. 

<< ^ ’Tis Christmas eve/ said little Jane,” 
prompted Sister Margaret softly. 

‘^<^Tis Christmas eve/ said little Jane,” 

echoed Susie quickly, and, once started, she 
rattled on to the end without a single hitch 
and came down from the stage amidst a 
shower of applause. Her eyes shone and 
her cheeks were as red as roses, as she 
settled herself again in her chair next to 
Theodora. 

“ I d-didn’t forget it, did I, Theodora ? ” 
she whispered triumphantly. 

“ No, not after the first.” 

“ And I wasn’t one bit scared.” 

“ Sh ! Don’t talk.” 

Sister was announcing a dialogue. Susie 
leaned back in her chair and folded her 


112 


THEODORA 


hands with a blissful expression on her 
little round face. She had done well, and 
now she could listen and enjoy the other 
things. 

After the dialogue there was more music, 
and some songs sung by the children in 
chorus; then, last of all, came the French 
play, the most important feature of the 
whole programme. Several children were 
to take part in this. There were Sara and 
Helen and Pauline and Hildegarde, all 
dressed as little goose-tenders, and saying 
their lines with ease and spirit. Estelle, as 
the goose-mistress, carried a big cotton- 
batting goose under one arm, and looked 
very quaint and pretty in her bright colored 
costume and big wooden shoes, with her 
heavy golden hair bound in by a white cap. 
But Theodora, as the little fine lady from 
Paris, was the most beautiful. She wore 
her thinnest and laciest dress, and carried 
off her part with a very grand and haughty 
air. 

Susie watched it all with breathless inter- 
est. She leaned forward, her lips parted, 


SCHOOL ENTERTAINMENT 1 13 


her cheeks growing redder and redder, and 
at the funny parts she threw back her head 
and laughed aloud. Soon everyone around 
was watching her and smiling, but she was 
quite unconscious of it. At the end, when 
the curtain fell, and the applause broke 
forth, she joined in it until her little hands 
fairly stung with clapping. Again and 
again the little performers were called out 
before the curtain, and bouquets of flowers 
were handed up to some of them. Then 
they retired for the last time and it was all 
over. 

Susie drew a long breath and looked about 
her. Everyone was rising. There was a 
growing hum of voices, and chairs were 
being cleared away. Theodora, a great 
bunch of roses in her hand, hurried past 
in search of her Aunt Houghton. 

“ Th-Theodora, wait for me,” called Susie, 
but Theodora did not heed, and a moment 
later was lost to sight in the crowd. For 
a time Susie found herself quite hedged 
in by big people, so that she could not see 
anybody else. Once she was crushed against 


114 


THEODORA 


a stout lady who wore a gown of emerald 
green velvet trimmed with fur. Susie 
smoothed the fur and the velvet unnoticed ; 
she had never felt anything quite so soft 
and beautiful. Once the filmy lace scarf 
of a beautiful young lady brushed against 
her face. The young lady looked down 
at her and smiled. 

“You recited your verses very well,” 
she said, “ and I think you are a very dear 
little girl ; ” and Susie smiled up at her with 
beaming eyes. 

At first she was quite content with the 
buzz and excitement of it all, but presently 
she began to wish she could find some of the 
other children. 

Sara passed, pulling a tall, kindly looking 
gentleman by the hand. 

“ Oh, S-S-Sara ! ” she cried eagerly. 

“ Hello, Susie. Papa, that’s Theodora’s 
room-mate. Come over here and I’ll show 
you Theodora. I saw her go this way ; ” 
and Sara hurried him on. 

Susie tried to follow, but she soon lost 
track of them. However, she saw Estelle 


SCHOOL ENTERTAINMENT 115 


over by the mantel, talking animatedly to 
a very pretty girl and an older boy, and 
she made her way over to them. Estelle 
paid no attention to her but went on talking 
to the others. Susie knew she was not 
wanted there, but still she lingered. She 
wished her brother Benny had come. He 
would have been glad to have her with him. 

Presently the boy noticed her. “ Hello, 
little girl,” he said. “ You pretty nearly 
forgot your piece, didn’t you ? That was 
a close call ; ” and he quoted mockingly : 

‘‘‘Tis Christmas eve,’ said little Jane.” 

Susie’s cheeks grew redder, but she 
laughed. The boy had a jolly face, and 
she was glad to have someone to talk 
to at last. 

“ But I d-d-d-didn’t forget,” she said 
stoutly. 

“ No, you d-d-d-didn’t,” mocked the 
boy, “ but you pretty nearly did, I tell you ! 
Almost down that time, sir! It was a 
close call.” 

“ What’s that ? ” asked Susie. 


116 


THEODORA 


“ A close call’s a narrow escape, and a 
narrow escape’s a near shave. Didn’t you 
ever hear about a near shave Well, a 
near shave is as often as not skimming, and 
skimming sometimes means thin ice, and 
thin ice sometimes means all up with 
you.” 

“ I d-d-don’t care ! ” cried Susie, not 
understanding in the least. 

“ You don’t care ? Poof ! You’d have 
gone off the stage, crying like a walrus, in 
another minute. I’ll bet. You pretty near 
caved, and then you’d have blubbered. 
Well, I guess so ! ” 

Susie threw back her head and laughed 
and laughed. He was very funny, this 
round-faced boy. 

“ N-no, I wouldn’t,” she declared. 
“ What’s ‘ blubbered ’ ? ” 

“ I’ll tell you something ; I’ve got a 
little cousin just about as big as you are, 
and sometimes I talk to her about things 
she doesn’t know, — things like thin ice, 
and glad rags, and blubbering, and she 
just puts her fists in her eyes and howls ; yes, 


SCHOOL ENTERTAINMENT 117 


she does. So you’d better not ask me so 
many questions.” 

“ I w-won’t howl. I never do, ’cep’n when 
I’m jes’ awful scared.” 

“ Well, you’re a peach,” cried the boy. 
“ Ain’t she, Estelle ? ” 

“ She’s a nuisance and a tag-around, and 
that’s what she is. Oh, there’s Theodora 
now ! ” Estelle beckoned to her. “ We’re 
waiting for you,” she called. 

Theodora slipped past a group of grown 
people and came over to them. As she 
joined them, Susie tried to take her hand 
but Theodora quickly drew it away. Before 
Estelle she was ashamed of Susie’s devo- 
tion. 

“ I jes’ been looking for you every place, 
Theodora ; ” cried Susie eagerly, “ but I 
couldn’t find you.” 

Theodora gave an impatient little toss 
of her head. “ I wish you’d go and look 
for someone else. You’re always following 
me around.” 

The round-faced boy gave a low whistle 
and looked down at Susie reprovingly. 


118 


THEODORA 


“ Whew-ew ! I wouldn’t have thought 
you were a tag-around. I’d have thought 
you were a right nice little thing. I’m 
surprised at you.” 

Susie looked up at him from under her 
brows. It was hard to have this new friend 
turn against her, too. 

“ I ain’t a tag-arand,” she said stoutly. 
“ I tried to run after Sara and Sara’s popa, 
and I couldn’t, ’cause so many people got 
in the way, and I losted ’em quick as I 
found ’em.” 

“ Why don’t you tag around after some- 
body that you belong to ” 

“ I ain’t got anybody but my B-Brother 
Benny.” 

“ Isn’t he enough ? ” 

“ Yes, he is, he’s a plenty ; but he ain’t 
here. He’s at the factory. He works all 
the time, my Brother Benny does.” Susie 
said this very proudly. She wished her 
brother Benny were there ; then she’d 
show them ! 

“ Bow-wow ! ” cried the boy. ‘‘ You 
needn’t bark at me about your brother 


SCHOOL ENTERTAINMENT 119 


Benny. Haven’t you got anybody else at 
all but him ” 

“ N-no ! and I d-d-don’t want nobody 
else. He’s bigger’n you — heaps big- 
ger.” 

“ Well, I bet he’s not as big as you, be- 
cause I think you’re immense.” 

“ Oh, Tom ! ” cried the pretty girl, “ do 
hush ! If you talk to her that way she’ll 
be tagging round with us all the time.” 

“ Theodora,” broke in Estelle, “ we want 
to have our ice-cream now ; why don’t you 
send Susie off to Sister Margaret ? Or 
I’ll get Esther to take her.” 

Susie fired up furiously. “Esther sh-shan’t 
take me, Estelle Spears, and you got no 
business to say so.” 

“ Now, listen to me, Susie,” said Theo- 
dora in her most grown-up manner. “You’re 
only a very little girl and you can’t stay with 
us. Come, and I’ll take you back to 
Sister. You’re getting to be rather a 
bother, my dear.” 

She tried to take Susie’s hand, but Susie 
jerked away. 


120 


THEODORA 


“ You d-don’t got to call me dear, 
Theodora Winthrop, and I ain’t a-going 
to Sister. I’m six years old, and you don’t 
got to call me little.” Her cheeks were 
scarlet, and her eyes were blinking with 
excitement. 

“ Watch out,” said the boy. “ You’ll 
begin to howl pretty soon, and I bet when 
you do cry you can cry for a fact.” 

“ I ain’t a-going to cry,” said Susie, 
though indeed she was very near to it, 
“ and I ain’t a-going to stay with you, 
neither. I ain’t done a thing but be just 
as good as I can be, and I wouldn’t stay 
if you was to ast me, so now, ’cause my 
B-Brother Benny — ” She broke off and 
made a fresh start. “ If my Brother Benny 
was here he’d be ashamed of you, Theodora 
Winthrop; yes, he would. My B-Brother 
Benny don’t allow me to say things like 
that, — and I wouldn’t stay if you was 
to — to— ” 

She could not say more, because the lump 
in her throat was getting too big, and turning 
she ran away, pushing past the groups 


SCHOOL ENTERTAINMENT 121 


of grown people, hurrying away anywhere, 
so they should not see her tears. 

Estelle shook back her hair. “ There ! ’’ 
she said. “Now we’ve got rid of her and 
we can go and have our ice-cream.” 

Theodora’s cheeks were pink. 

“ Well, Estelle ! ” cried the boy, “ you’re 
a peach, you are ! Why don’t you pick out a 
fellow of your own size to hit ? She’s got 
more pluck than any of you, and I’m glad 
she got cocky like that and wouldn’t stay 
with you.” 

“ Pshaw ! she’d have stayed for half a 
chance,” said Estelle. 

“ No, she wouldn’t either ; she’s got 
too much pluck. It wouldn’t have hurt you 
girls to have her around, and when she 
hasn’t any one else to be with either. I like 
her. She’s a little brick, and I’m going to 
see if I can find her.” 

“ Oh, Tom,” cried his sister, “ don’t be 
disagreeable. Estelle invited you, and you 
haven’t any right to go after her if Estelle 
doesn’t want you to.” 

“ Yes, I have, too, but I won’t bring her 


122 


THEODORA 


back with me if Estelle doesn’t want her. 
You girls go along and have your ice-cream. 
I’m going to get some for her, if I can find 
her. I’ll look you up by and by.” 

Before Estelle or Corinne could stop 
him, the boy was threading his way through 
the crowd in search of Susie. Up and 
down the rooms he went, trying to get a 
glimpse of the red sash and hair ribbons and 
the curly head, but the crowd was great 
and nowhere could he see her. 

When he came back, the other children 
were just finishing their cream and cake, 
and Estelle was not very gracious to him. 

‘‘ Did you find her ? ” asked Theodora. 

“ No,” said the boy. “ I wish I had. 
She’s a plucky little duck, I think.” 

“ Well, we don’t,” cried Estelle sharply; 
“ and you wouldn’t either, if you had her 
tagging about after you all the time.” 

But Theodora said nothing. She liked 
the round-faced boy, and she wished she 
had been pleasanter to Susie. 


CHAPTER XIV 

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING 

rriHE entertainment was over. There 
would be no more rehearsals, no 
more planning of costumes or excitements 
over who was or was not coming. The 
stage was taken down, and Esther threw 
out the roses that were withering in the 
vases. Nothing was left but the memory 
of the success it had all been. 

Though the entertainment was done 
with, another excitement was approaching, 
that of Christmas. The children could 
begin planning about that now. All of 
them were going to their homes, except 
Susie ; she was to stay with the Sisters. 
There was a great deal of joyous talk and 
wondering about gifts to be given or 
received. Some of the children, with the 
help of the Sisters, were making little pres- 
ents, sachet-bags, pin-cushions or needle- 
123 


124 


THEODORA 


books. Susie was busy hemming a muffler 
that was to be her Christmas present to 
Benny. Her little fore-finger was pricked 
until it was as rough as a nutmeg grater. 

The children who went down town came 
back with wonderful tales of the gay shops, 
the Christmas decorations, and the crowds 
of people in the streets. Susie listened 
eagerly and asked countless questions. 
Benny had promised to get away from his 
work early some afternoon and take her 
down to see it all, too. 

She was laboriously setting her stitches 
in the muffler one day, when Sister' Ruth 
came to tell her that he was downstairs 
waiting for her, and that she must come 
quickly and get her hat and coat. 

She jumped up in such haste that her sew- 
ing things flew all over the floor, this way 
and that, and she had to stop to pick them 
up. Then she was off like a little whirl- 
wind, and a moment later had her arms tight 
about the neck of a tall, shy-looking lad, 
who was waiting for her in the hall. 

‘‘ Oh, Benny ! I’m so glad you c-camed ; 


CHRISTMAS SHOPPING 


125 


I’m so glad ! ” she cried. ‘‘ And we’ll see 
the Santa Clauses and everything. Helen 
says he’s right there in a window coming out 
of a chimbley. Ain’t you glad we’re going ? ” 

Benny agreed shyly that he was. He stood, 
turning his cap in his hands and looking on, 
while Sister Ruth buttoned his sister’s little 
red coat and tied the ribbons of her hat. 

“ We’re going to buy 1-loads of presents ; 
ain’t we ” cried Susie, and she twisted her 
head around to look up in her brother’s 
face. “ Just bushels and bushels.” 

“ Yes,” said Sister Ruth smiling, “ but 
if you don’t hold still, you’ll go down town 
with a crooked bow tied under your chin.” 

“ What would you like, Sister ? What 
would you like.^ I know what I’m going 
to get, don’t we, Benny ? But it’s a secerd ; 
don’t anybody know it but us. We’re 
going to buy p-p-presents for everybody; 
jes’ everybody 

At last she was ready, and then she and 
Benny started out together, hand in hand. 
The Sisters watched them from the window. 

‘‘ Doesn’t she look exactly like a perky, 


126 


THEODORA 


self-sufficient little English robin ? ” said 
Sister Ruth. 

“ Exactly ! Look at the waggle of those 
little skirts ; ” and Sister Margaret laughed 
softly, as she gazed after her. The Sisters 
loved Susie dearly, but she often made them 
smile. 

The very same day that Susie and Benny 
went down town Mrs. Houghton came in 
her carriage to take Theodora shopping, 
too. Theodora always loved to go out 
with her aunt. The carriage was warm 
and comfortable, it rolled along smoothly, 
and the people in the shops were attentive 
and eager to wait on them. Now, as they 
rode down Fifth Avenue, Theodora slipped 
her little gloved hand through the padded 
strap at the side and leaned back luxuriously 
against the cushions. 

“ Susie’s doing her Christmas shopping 
to-day, too,” she said. 

“ Susie ? Isn’t that the little girl who 
is your room-mate ? ” asked Mrs. Houghton. 
Her voice was lazy and comfortable and 
rich, like herself. 


CHRISTMAS SHOPPING 


127 


“ Yes ; and do you know, aunt, she really 
believes there’s a Santa Claus and she 
thinks that if she’s a naughty girl he won’t 
bring her anything at Christmas but a 
bunch of switches. Isn’t that funny ? ” 

“ I suppose you will want to buy a present 
for her. Would you like to get a doll ? 
Or would a game be better ? ” 

But Theodora had already made up her 
mind what she wished to get for Susie. 
It was neither a doll nor a game. When 
she told her aunt what it was Mrs. Houghton 
looked doubtful. 

“ But, my dear, do you think she would 
care for that ? Hasn’t she a set already ? ” 
“ No, she hasn’t any, and she loves mine 
so much that I know she would like to have 
a set of her own better than anything else.” 
“Very well, then,” Mrs. Houghton agreed. 
She gave an order to the coachman, and 
presently they drew up before a very fine 
shop indeed, and there, after a great deal 
of thought and consideration, Theodora 
selected the present for Susie. Their next 
stop was at a jeweller’s, where they bought 


128 


THEODORA 


a pearl pin for Estelle. They left an order 
at a confectioner’s, and then they went to 
a toy store to finish their shopping for the 
afternoon. 

The windows of the shop were gay with 
wonderful things, woolly animals, dolls, 
tea-sets, mechanical toys for boys, farm- 
yards and boxes of soldiers; and there, 
too, was the very Santa Claus Helen had 
told about, almost as big as life, and coming 
out of a chimney. 

Inside, the shop was crowded with a 
busy throng, but Mrs. Houghton and 
Theodora managed to make their purchases. 
While her aunt was waiting for the change 
Theodora watched a group of children 
who had gathered about a man dressed as a 
Santa Claus, in furs and bells and with a 
long white beard. On his back was a 
pack filled with toys. He was smiling and 
talking to the children. 

“ Oh, Aunt Houghton ! ” cried Theodora 
suddenly ; ‘‘ there’s Susie ! ” 

‘‘ Where, my dear ? ” 

“ That little girl over there with a red 


CHRISTMAS SHOPPING 


129 


coat and hat. I’m going over to speak 
to her.” 

Susie was standing in front of Sana Claus, 
so absorbed in watching and listening to him 
that she was quite unconscious of the crowd 
that pushed and jostled her. Her cheeks 
were crimson with excitement and her hat 
was very much on one side. 

Theodora made her way over to her. 
“ Are you having a good time, Susie ? ” 
she asked. 

“Oh, Th-Th-Th-Th-Theodora,” cried 
Susie, stuttering so badly that she could 
hardly talk, “ that’s S-Santa Claus, and 
he spoke to me. He said ‘ How-de-do, 
Susie ! ’ I t-t-told him my name, and he 
said ‘ How-de-do, Susie ; ’ and he says 
he’ll bring me a lot of presents.” 

“ Have you bought anything yet ? ” 

“ Oh, yes, we’ve buyed a lot, me and 
Benny.” She looked around. “ Look ! 
Look, Theodora ! There’s Benny, and 
they’re giving him money again. They 
give him money every single place we go. 
I guess he’s got a lot now.” 


130 


THEODORA 


“ That’s change they are giving him,” 
explained Theodora. “ See ; that shop-girl 
has just brought him his package, and that’s 
his change.” 

“ No, it’s money. I sawed it myself.” 

Theodora tried to explain again, but 
Susie would not listen. “ Come over here, 
Theodora,” she cried, catching her by the 
hand and dragging her along. “ I’ll show 
you the dearest thing you ever sawed. It’s 
a dolly’s table, all set out with little dishes 
and napkins and glasses and everything. 
You never sawed anything so cunning.” 
She drew her eagerly over to the glass case 
at one side. “ There it is.” 

“ I’ve had ones just about like that,” 
said Theodora. 

“ Have you ? ” Susie looked up at her 
with admiration. It seemed as though there 
were nothing that Theodora did not have. 

They went on, looking at one thing after 
another, and presently Theodora said, “ I 
bought a present for you to-day.” 

“ Did you ? ” Susie was all excitement. 
“ What was it ? ” 


CHRISTMAS SHOPPING 


131 


‘‘ Oh, I can’t tell you ; it’s a secret, and 
it wouldn’t be any fun if I told you, but 
you’ll see at Christmas time. You’ll just 
love it. It’s the prettiest thing.” Mrs. 
Houghton had received her change by this 
time and was beckoning her niece to come. 
“ There, my aunt wants me now, and I’ll 
have to go. Good-bye, Susie. You never, 
never, never could guess what the present 
is.” Laughing at the little girl’s eager 
puzzled look, she hurried away to join her 
aunt. 

Susie did not get back from her shopping 
until late : — long after Theodora had re- 
turned. When she came, her little arms 
were full of packages and she was quite 
worn out with excitement. She hardly 
ate any supper, and could do nothing but 
chatter and chatter like a stuttering little 
magpie. Sister Margaret was afraid the 
afternoon had been too much for her and 
put her to bed a half hour earlier than usual, 
in spite of her protests. 

“ B-b-but, S-Sister, I ain’t sleepy yet ! 


132 


THEODORA 


Deed I’m not. My eyes is jes’ as wide 
open.” 

“ Yes, but you don’t want to be ill, do 
you, and miss the party and all the good 
things ? And I’m afraid you will be, 
unless you go to bed and get a good night’s 
sleep.” 

“ Then I must take all my things up with 
me and have my Jack-in-the-box right aside 
of my bed where I can see it; may I 
’Cause Benny said that was for me to have 
right now.” 

Sister Margaret agreed, and helped the 
weary little girl carry her many packages 
upstairs. 

After she was in bed. Sister drew a chair 
close to her and set the Jack-in-the-box on it. 
A few minutes later, when she peeped into 
the room, Susie was already fast asleep, 
her face turned toward the toy so that she 
would be sure to see it the first thing in the 
morning. It was a promise of the coming 
Christmas. 


CHAPTER XV 

CHRISTMAS EVE AT THE SISTERs’ 

rilHE holidays had begun, and the chil- 
dren had left for their homes in a 
general bustle of excitement and gaiety. 
Only Susie and Theodora were left, and 
the afternoon before Christmas they stood 
at the window, watching for Mrs. Hough- 
ton’s carriage, which was to come for 
Theodora. She was to spend the holi- 
days with her aunt. 

The snow was falling lightly; the streets 
were already covered with it. 

‘‘ A white Christmas makes a glad New 
Year,” said Sister Margaret, joining the 
children and looking from the window, 
too. 

“ I wish Theodora wasn’t going home, 
Sister,” said Susie. “ I wish she could 
stay here with me. I won’t have anybody 
to play with after she’s gone.” 

133 


134 


THEODORA 


“ Oh, but I have to go ; my aunt expects 
me, you know,” said Theodora hastily. 

“ Well, I wish I could go home, too.” 
Susie’s lip trembled. 

“ Do you mean to your brother ? ” asked 
Sister Margaret. 

Susie nodded. 

“ Someday you are going to be with 
Brother Benny all the time and you’ll keep 
house for him, too; that will be as soon 
as you’re a big girl. But this time, you 
know, he’s coming here for Christmas. 
He is coming to our party, too, and we 
must try to make him have a very good 
time.” 

Every Christmas day the Sisters had a 
party for a number of poor children, with 
a Christmas tree and presents for all. 

“Will you come to the party, too, Theo- 
dora ? ” asked Susie. “ She may come, 
mayn’t she. Sister ? ” 

“ Of course she may ; we would be very 
glad to have her.” 

“ I’d like to,” said Theodora, “ but I 
don’t know whether I can or not. You 


CHRISTMAS EVE 


135 


know I promised to go to another party 
that afternoon.” 

“ I wish you would,” said Susie longingly. 

“ Oh, there comes the carriage,” ex- 
claimed Theodora. Mrs. Houghton’s 
brougham had just turned into the street. 
“ I must get my things on ; ” and she hurried 
away to get her hat and coat. 

After she had gone the house seemed 
strangely big and quiet, and Susie wan- 
dered about lonesomely. The Sisters had 
gone to chapel. She could hear the solemn 
tones of the organ and now and then their 
chanting voices. Then this ceased and all 
was still. A little later Sister Ruth called 
her. 

“ Susie, come up here.” 

“ Yes, Sister, I’m coming,” she answered, 
and she ran upstairs as fast as she could. 

Sister Ruth stood at the head of the 
steps, waiting for her. She smiled down 
at the little girl. “ We’re going to trim the 
chapel now, dear; would you like to help 
us ? ” 

“ Oh, may I ? May I truly. Sister ? ” 


136 


THEODORA 


“ Yes, indeed, you may.” 

Sister Ruth opened the class-room door. 
There stood Sister Felicita with a great 
apron over her habit. Her slim white 
hands were lifting great ropes of Christmas 
greens from a big box. On the floor were 
heaps of holly branches with their red 
berries. 

“ Goody gracious ! ” cried Susie. “ I 
never sawed such a lot of Christmas before.” 

All the rest of the afternoon the Sisters 
were busy decorating the chapel and hang- 
ing wreaths and festoons in the school 
parlor. Susie made herself useful by run- 
ning errands or handing the scissors and 
twine to the Sisters, as they were needed. 

After supper all gathered in the parlor to 
sing Christmas carols. Outside, the sleighs 
slid by now and then with a joyous chime 
of bells. Sister Margaret went to the front 
windows to draw the curtains, and Susie 
followed her. They stood for a time, look- 
ing out. The ground was white with snow. 

“ If we were in my home — in England — 
to-night,” said Sister, “ perhaps we might 


CHRISTMAS EVE 


137 


hear the little children who go about singing 
Christmas carols before the houses; the 
waits, we call them. Then, after they had 
ended their songs, we would open the win- 
dow and give them some buns or pennies.” 

Sister Ruth began to play a carol, and 
Sister Margaret drew the curtains and shut 
the cold, snowy street from view. The 
room within was warm and bright. The 
carol Sister Ruth was playing was one from 
the little old books of carols that the Sisters 
had brought with them from England. 
Susie stood by the piano and listened, while 
they sang: 

“ As Joseph was a-walking 
He heard the angels sing, 

‘ To-night shall be the birth-night 
Of Christ, the Heavenly King. 

<< ‘ He neither shall be born 
In chamber nor in hall. 

Nor in the palace of the king 
But in the oxen’s stall. 

< He neither shall be clothed 
In purple nor in pall. 

But in the pure white linen, 

That usen babies all. 


138 


THEODORA 


^ He neither shall be cradled 
In silver nor in gold, 

But in a wooden manger 
That resteth on the mould,' 

As J oseph was a-walking 
So did the angels sing, 

And Mary's babe at midnight 
Was born to be our King.” 

One carol followed another, and presently 
Susie asked, “ Mayn’t we sing Benny’s 
hymn ? ” 

“ Yes, indeed,” said Sister Margaret. 
“ Which is Benny’s hymn ? ” 

“ Don’t you know ? It begins, ‘ Bright- 
est and Best of the Sons of the Morn- 
ing.’ He 1-likes it the best of any, and he 
sings it all the time. Sometimes I sing it 
with him, and he says he likes to hear 
me.” 

“ Then we will sing that one next.” 

So Sister Ruth played a soft prelude, 
and they all joined in singing “ Brother 
Benny’s hymn.” Susie’s voice rang out 
clear and high, and though she sometimes 
wandered from the tune she sang on to the 


CHRISTMAS EVE 


139 


very end, putting her whole little heart into 
the singing. 

“ There,” said Sister Margaret. “ I think 
that is a very good hymn for you to go to 
bed with. The sand-man has thrown dust 
into those little eyes until you can hardly 
hold them open.” 

Susie made her usual protest : “ I’m not 
sleepy.” Then she added, “ I wisht it was 
to-morrow now. Do you think I’ll get a 
lot of presents. Sister ? ” 

“ Perhaps ; the sooner you go to bed, the 
sooner you’ll waken to see. Come, dear.” 

So Susie kissed them all good-night, and 
trudged off upstairs, her hand in Sister 
Margaret’s, chattering as she went. 

After she was in bed. Sister lowered the 
light and went on down the hall to the com- 
munity-room. The others had come up- 
stairs, too, and were now sitting there 
around a large centre table, in the middle 
of which stood a low lamp. Sister Grace 
was filling a heap of many colored tarletan 
bags from a great platter of nuts, raisins 
and candy. Sister Felicita was wrapping 


140 


THEODORA 


up gifts in white paper and tying them with 
gay ribbon, while Sister Ruth neatly wrote 
a name on each package as it was handed 
her. 

“ How spicy the Christmas greens are ! 
said Sister Margaret, taking her place at 
the table and beginning to help Sister Grace 
in her task. “ I can smell them even in 
here.” 

“ Yes, ‘ perfectly dericious,’ as Susie 
says,” Sister Ruth agreed. Then she asked, 
“ Is she asleep yet ? ” 

“ I don’t know, but we’d better not take 
her presents in until the last thing, for 
she might waken. Poor little girlie ! It 
was hard for her to see all the other children 
going home, and to be the only one left.” 

“ I suppose Theodora will have a very 
grand Christmas at her aunt’s,” remarked 
Sister Grace. 

“ I fancy so. Mrs. Houghton told me 
Mr. Winthrop had sent a great box of gifts 
for her from abroad.” 

“ Is she coming to the party to-morrow ? ” 

‘‘ I think it hardly likely. She said she 


CHRISTMAS EVE 


141 


was going to another party later in the 
afternoon. There ! Is that the last of the 
bags ? ” 

“ Yes ; forty in all. How gay they look ! 
I think they are larger than they were last 
year.” 

After the bags and packages were finished, 
there were other things for the Sisters to 
do. There was the Christmas tree to be 
decked and Susie’s stocking to be filled. 
It was late before everything was done. 
The very last thing of all they stole into the 
little girl’s room to hang the stocking at 
the foot of her bed, and to arrange her 
Christmas gifts on a table close beside her. 
After the others had slipped away Sister 
Margaret stood looking down at the child. 
She lay there, fast asleep and breathing 
softly, one chubby hand under her cheek. 
As Sister Margaret watched her Susie 
stirred, and her lips parted in a half smile. 
“ Oh, Theodora ! ” she murmured. 

Sister Margaret smiled to herself and 
turned to lower the light still more. Then 
she stole softly from the room. 


CHAPTER XVI 

SUSIE’s CHRISTMAS 

“ ll/rERRY Christmas ! Merry Christ- 
mas ! ” Susie opened sleepy eyes. 
There by her bed stood the Sisters, smiling 
down at her. For a moment she lay blink- 
ing at them drowsily. Then she remem- 
bered what day it was and bounded up 
wide awake. 

“ Merry Christmas ! Merry Christmas ! ” 
she cried. 

She looked at the foot of the bed, and 
there hung a great red stocking, fairly 
bulging with the good things it held. It 
was decked with holly, and from over the 
top of it a toy Santa Claus peeped at her, 
his tree across his shoulder. “ Oh ! oh ! ” 
cried Susie, scrambling down to get it. 

She began to empty the stocking with 
little cries of rapture. “ Oh, look at the 
little gold and white pitcher. — Oh, it’s 
142 


SUSIE'S CHRISTMAS 


143 


a — ” she regarded doubtfully a red candy 
toy she had drawn out. “ I guess it’s a 
deer. Here’s an orange. I can feel it, but 
it’s so big it’s stuck ; ” — and so on. After 
she had emptied the stocking, there were 
other presents for her to see. There were 
slippers and a tin* kitchen, a doll, a bottle 
of perfume, and a little plaid frock; this 
last was from Bennie. Susie had never 
had so many presents at one time before. 
Sister Margaret waited until she had seen 
them all, had tried on the slippers and ex- 
claimed over the frock. Then she set a 
tall round box on the bed beside her. 

“ And here is a present from Theodora ! ” 
she said. 

“ From Theodora ! Oh, what is it ? 
What do you suppose it is. Sister ? ” 

Susie’s fingers trembled with eagerness, 
as she pulled at the string. Sister Ruth drew 
out a pair of scissors from her pocket and cut 
it for her. The Sisters were eager to see the 
present, too, though they had guessed what it 
was. The lid was lifted off, and there was 
some tissue paper. Susie tore it aside and 


144 


THEODORA 


then uttered a cry of wonder and delight. 
As if from a nest, she drew forth to view a 
beautiful little muff of the softest and whitest 
fur. 

‘‘ A muff ! ” she whispered to herself in 
a tone of awe. She slipped her hands into 
it; it was lined with pale blue satin. She 
lifted it to her cheek ; she had never before 
felt anything so deliciously soft. 

The Sisters watched her, smiling. 

“ There is something more in the box, 
too,’’ said Sister Ruth. 

Something more ! Susie could hardly 
believe it, but when she looked, there was 
a fur for the neck to match the muff, and at 
the end of it was a little white, furry head 
with beady eyes. Sister Grace put it on over 
the little girl’s dressing gown. “ Are you 
pleased, Susie ^ ” she asked. 

Susie looked up at her with shining eyes 
and nodded. She sat there, the fur around 
her neck and her hands in the muff, and a 
look of perfect bliss on her little round face. 
She could hardly bear to put the treasures 
away again out of sight. 


SUSIE^S CHRISTMAS 


145 


Later, while Sister Margaret was dressing 
her, she looked very thoughtful. “ When 
Theodora conies back again,” she said at 
last, “ I ain’t goin’ to run after her any 
more, cep’n when she wants me to.” 

Sister smiled. “ Aren’t you ? ” 

“ No, I aren’t; ’cause Theodora’s awful 
good to me, and I just love her ; I love her 
hard; harder than anybody in the world, 
’cepn’ only Brother Benny, of course, 
’cause I have to love him hardest.” 


CHAPTER XVII 


THE TWO PARTIES 

rriHEODORA’S Christmas began much 
later than Susie’s. It was not until 
Mrs. Houghton came downstairs Christmas 
morning that the box Mr. Winthrop had 
sent from abroad for his little daughter, 
was opened. Such wonderful things as there 
were in it ! Carved sandal-wood boxes, and 
ivories and photographs; a fan set with 
jewels, Chinese slippers, an embroidered 
kimona, and thin silken scarfs that floated 
this way and that with every breath, like 
rainbow- tin ted mists. 

Theodora was enchanted with the variety 
and oddity of the things. She slipped the 
kimona on over her little frock and fanned 
herself with the fan, admiring the glitter 
of its many colors. She tried to flt together 
one of the puzzles but found it too difficult, 
and laid it aside until she should have seen 


146 


THE TWO PARTIES 


147 


her other presents. Mrs. Houghton’s gift to 
her was a string of very pretty little pearls. 
Estelle had sent her a little bronze dog, an 
ornament for her writing desk, and there 
were many other gifts from Theodora’s 
little friends, or from friends of her father. 
Among all the fine things was a little 
package upon which was written in Susie’s 
round, childish hand, “ For Theodora from 
her loving little friend, Susie.” Theodora 
wondered what could be in it. When she 
opened it she found a little set of pewter 
dishes, fastened to a card. 

“ What have you there, my dear ? ” 
asked Mrs. Houghton, raising her lorgnettes 
to her eyes. 

“ Oh just something from Susie ; ” and 
Theodora hastily slipped it under one of 
the scarfs. Somehow she did not want her 
aunt to laugh at the little present. 

All the morning Theodora was occupied 
with her gifts and in looking over some 
books she had received. Very soon after 
luncheon she said she thought she would 
go upstairs and get ready for the party. 


148 


THEODORA 


“ But, my dear, it is very early yet,” her 
aunt objected. 

“ I know, but I want to stop at the Sisters’ 
on the way. I promised them I would, if 
I could.” 

“ Very well. Then ring for Peters to 
come and dress you; but I am afraid you 
will be quite tired out, if you start so soon.” 
Mrs. Houghton settled herself down com- 
fortably by the fire again and took up the 
novel she had been reading. 

Early as it was the Sisters’ party had 
already begun when Theodora reached the 
school. Esther wished her a merry Christ- 
mas, and with a beaming Christmas face 
led the way along the hall, and softly 
opened the door of the school-parlor. From 
within came a sound of singing. 

“ Hosannah ! Hosannah ! Hosannah in the highest ! ” 

The daylight had be^xi shut out from the 
parlor, but it was full of a soft lustre from 
the many candles of a great Christmas 
tree, which was at one end. Thirty or forty 
little children stood there, all with their eyes 


THE TWO PARTIES 


149 


fixed on the glittering tree with its shining 
balls, its tinsel and gifts, and countless tiny 
lights. 

<< Hosannah ! Hosannah ! Hosannah ! in the highest ! ” 
they sang. 

When the song was finished they sat down 
with a great scraping of chairs and shoes. 
Sister Grace, who had been leading the sing- 
ing, now saw Theodora and came down the 
room to greet her ; but Susie was first. She 
too had looked around and had seen her. 
She ran across and caught her by the 
hand ; “ I’m so glad you c-c-camed. Ain’t 
it lovely ? And Benny’s here.” 

“ Merry Christmas, Theodora ! ” said 
Sister Grace. ‘‘ I am very glad to see you. 
Sister Margaret is just going to give the 
presents. Will you go over there and sit 
by Susie ? ” 

“ ril show you a place,” cried Susie, full 
of joyous importance, and she led Theo- 
dora over to where she had been sitting. 
“ Here’s Benny,” she said. 

Benny was the tall, shy-looking youth 


150 


THEODORA 


whom Theodora had seen in the toy-shop. 
As he rose from his seat and shook hands 
with her, he looked shyer than ever. “ Glad 
to make your acquaintance,” he said. 

“ Did you like the present I gave you, 
Susie ? ” asked Theodora, as she and the 
little girl settled themselves in their chairs. 

“ Oh, yes 1 ” Susie hesitated a moment 
and then she said softly, “ They’re the 
b-beautifullest things I ever saw, and I’m 
going to be jes’ as careful of them, like 
Sister tells me, and keep ’em for ever an’ 
ever.” 

Sister Margaret had taken her place by the 
Christmas tree and Sister Ruth was cutting 
the ribbons that tied the gifts to the 
branches. As each package was handed to 
Sister Margaret, she read aloud the name 
written on it, and the child named went up to 
receive the gift and a bag of candy. 

Theodora found the room warm and 
slipped off her little fur-trimmed cloak. 

“ Oh, Theodora, how b-beautiful you 
look ! ” cried Susie, half dazzled by her 
splendor. 


THE TWO PARTIES 


151 


Theodora wore a frock of the most 
delicate embroidery and lace over a pink 
silk slip, her hair was tied with a great 
shimmering pink bow, and she had pink 
coral beads about her neck. 

“ Susie Martin,’' called Sister’s clear 
voice. 

Susie gave a start, and, slipping from 
her chair, she hurried up between the rows 
of children, to where Sister stood smiling 
and waiting for her. 

When she came back she carried a gay 
red candy bag, and a large square par- 
cel wrapped in white paper. “ I wonder 
what it is ! I wonder what it is ! ” she 
cried, tearing eagerly at the paper. Theo- 
dora helped her, and presently they dis- 
closed a box of square picture blocks. 
“ Jes’ zactly what I wanted ! ” cried Susie 
ecstatically. 

“ Theodora Winthrop! ” called Sister, 
holding up a package. 

Theodora was very much surprised. She 
had not expected to receive a present. She 
went up to the tree, the children all staring 


152 


THEODORA 


at her and her pretty clothes, and received a 
square white parcel, which, when opened, 
proved to be a pretty volume of The Prin- 
cess and the Goblins. 

Name after name was called, until every 
child in the room had received a gift. One 
little girl was lame and hobbled slowly and 
noisily up the aisle that had been left be- 
tween the chairs. She was a merry little 
soul, however, and in the games that fol- 
lowed no one seemed to enjoy them more 
or to laugh more heartily than she, though 
she could only sit still and watch the others 
play. 

Peters, who had come with Theodora, 
would have liked to take her away directly 
after the gifts had been distributed, but 
the little girl was not willing to go. She 
was enjoying herself and it was still early 
for the other party. 

After the lights were turned on again, the 
games began. Going to Jerusalem was the 
first, and Theodora played it with the others, 
much to Peters’ dissatisfaction, dancing 
gaily around the chairs to the music of the 


THE TWO PARTIES 


153 


march that Sister Grace played. She was 
soon “ out ” for she did not know how to 
hurry and crowd like the others, and then 
she went over and sat down to watch it. 
She was next to the little lame girl, and pres- 
ently the child asked, “ What did you 
get?” 

“ Get ? ” repeated Theodora, not under- 
standing. 

“ Yes, from the tree.” 

“ Oh ! a book ; The Princess and the 
Goblins'^ 

“ I got a game. I don’t know how to play 
it yet, but I guess it’s fun. I had some 
presents at home, too ; did you ? ” 

“ Oh, yes ! ” 

“ I got mittens and a candy cane and a 
box of candy and a doll. Moma was 
going to give me some new shoes too, but 
the woman she works for didn’t pay her, 
so she couldn’t. She’s going to get them 
next week though.” Theodora glanced 
down and saw that the little girl’s shoes 
were quite worn out. “ They ain’t as bad 
as some, anyway,” the child said with a 


154 


THEODORA 


laugh, drawing them back out of sight 
under her faded skirt. 

A little later, when Theodora and Susie 
were standing somewhat apart from the 
others, Theodora asked, “ Who is that 
little lame girl, Susie ? ” 

“ That’s Fanny.” 

“ Hasn’t she any shoes but those ? ” 

Susie looked surprised. “ Why, no, I 
guess not.” 

“ They had holes in them, and she said 
her mother couldn’t buy her any others,” 

“ Oh no, they’re awful poor. I guess 
maybe Sister’s going to give her some 
things after a while. She’s going to give 
my old blue coat to some one, now I’ve 
got a new one.” 

“ Is she going to give it to Fanny ? ” 

“ Oh no ! ” Susie laughed. “ It’s too 
little for Fanny. I wish it wasn’t, ’cause 
I like Fanny.” 

Peters now came across the room with 
a look of determination on her face. “ Miss 
Theodora, we’ll have to go,” she said. “ It’s 
getting late, and Mrs. Houghton wouldn’t 


THE TWO PARTIES 


155 


like it, if she knew you’d stayed so 
long.” 

“ I suppose I’d better go,” Theodora 
agreed, “ but I’ve had a lovely time. You 
may carry my book and the candy bag.” 

She said good-bye to Susie and the Sisters, 
and very soon she and Peters were riding 
down Fifth Avenue on their way to the 
other party. 

“ Do you know, Peters,” said Theodora, 
breaking a long silence, “ there was a little 
girl at the Sisters’, whose mother was so 
poor she couldn’t buy her a pair of shoes.” 

“ No doubt. Miss,” said Peters stifily ; 
adding after a moment, ‘‘ I don’t think Mrs. 
Houghton will like your having been there 
with all those little poor children. I think 
she didn’t know what it was going to be 
like, when she let you go.” 

Theodora brushed back a loose lock of 
hair with her little gloved hand. “ Oh, 
I had a very good time,” she said : “ the 
games were fun, and the Christmas tree 
was lovely.” 

Peters gave a sniff, but said nothing 


156 


THEODORA 


more, and Theodora leaned back in the 
corner of the carriage, her thoughts still 
full of the party, and the children who had 
been there. She almost wished she could 
have stayed there instead of coming on to 
this other party; though of course she was 
going to have a very good time at this one, 
too, and she would not have liked to miss it. 

When she reached the Winchester’s one 
dance had just ended and another was 
about to begin. From the drawing-room 
came the sound of the tuning of violins and 
the deeper notes of a ’cello. The wide hall 
was full of little boys and girls, talking and 
laughing. 

“ You’re late, Theodora,” called a pretty, 
fair-haired little girl. “ We’re going to begin 
the cotillon soon.” 

“ Will you dance with me, Theodora ? ” 
asked a little boy, who had hurried to 
meet her. He wore a black coat and long 
trousers, just like a man’s. 

“ Yes, as soon as I get my cloak off,” 
said Theodora, and she hurried on up to 
the dressing-room, followed by Peters. 


THE TWO PARTIES 


157 


All the house was warm and brightly 
lighted and full of the perfume of roses, 
and while Peters was putting on Theodora’s 
white slippers and arranging her bows, the 
music began to sound from the ball-room. 
“ Do hurry, Peters,” she cried impatiently. 
“ There, that will do; I don’t want to miss 
this.” And she ran out of the dressing-room 
and down the stairway as lightly as a butter- 

fly. 

Theodora always enjoyed herself at 
parties. There was a little circle of 
children that she knew very well, and she 
could always have more partners than 
there were dances to give them. This 
afternoon, as she whirled away with one 
little boy after another, pink pleasure-spots 
came in her cheeks to match her coral 
beads, and her eyes shone like stars with 
the delight of it all. Susie and the tree and 
the little poor children were quite forgotten. 
She thought of nothing but the joy of dan- 
cing, and the fun, after the cotillon began, 
of having so many favors given her that she 
could not carry them all. 


158 


THEODORA 


That evening, however, after it was all 
over and she was at home again and had 
told her aunt all about the Winchester’s 
dance, her thoughts went back to the Sisters 
and their party. 

“ Do you know. Aunt Houghton,” she 
began suddenly, “ there was a little girl 
at the Sisters’ party and she was so poor 
that her mother couldn’t even buy her 
shoes ? ” 

“ At the Sisters’ ! ” said her aunt. “ I 
didn’t know they were having a party.” 

“ Oh yes, I told you. Don’t you remem- 
ber ? That’s the reason I started so early, 
so that I could stop there for a while on 
my way to Mrs. Winchester’s.” 

“ I did not understand you. What sort 
of a party was it ? ” 

“ A Christmas party with a tree. It was 
for some poor children, and they did have 
such fun.” 

“ I have no doubt, but I am surprised 
that the Sisters should have asked you to 
come when they were going to have a party 
of that kind.” 


THE TWO PARTIES 


159 


“ Oh, I liked it,” Theodora assured her. 

But Mrs. Houghton was far from satis- 
fied. She did not care to have her little 
niece brought into association with children 
of that sort. Of course the Sisters’ school 
was very lovely, and they themselves were 
very charming people, but perhaps while 
the holidays lasted it would be better for 
Theodora not to go down there again. This, 
as it proved, was very easily managed. So 
much was going on in Theodora’s own little 
circle that she never seemed to have a 
minute to spare, and except for that one 
afternoon of the Christmas party she never 
once went down to see Susie and the Sisters. 
She hardly had time even to think of them 
or to wonder if Susie, too, were enjoying the 
holiday. 


CHAPTER XVIII 

THE END OF THE HOLIDAYS 

rpHE Christmas vacation was over and the 
children were back at school once more. 
Theodora was the last to arrive, as she had 
been the last to leave. 

Susie, who had been watching for her all 
day, rushed out into the hall to meet her and 
threw her arms about her, hugging her close. 

“ I’m so glad you’ve earned back,” she 
cried. “ I thought you were n-never coming. 
Everybody’s earned, Estelle and Helen 
an’ everybody, and I’ve learned to button 
on my own petticoats ! ” 

Sister Margaret had come out into the 
hall to greet Theodora, too. “ Did you 
have very gay holidays ? ” she asked. 

“ Oh, yes ; I just had a beautiful time.” 

“ I am glad you did, but glad to have you 
back, too.” 


160 


THE END OF THE HOLIDAYS 161 


“ Thank you, Sister. ” 

Having taken off her things with Esther’s 
help, Theodora ran over to the parlor to 
look for the other little girls, Susie follow- 
ing close at her heels. 

All the children seemed delighted to 
see her again, and had a great deal to tell 
her about the holidays, and the presents 
they had received. 

“ Why were you so late in coming back F ” 
demanded Estelle. “ I got back two days 
ago.” 

‘‘ My aunt didn’t think it was worth while 
for me to come sooner. Aggy Vorhees had 
a luncheon yesterday, and I was going to a 
matinee, too.” 

“ What fun ! What did you see F ” 

“ Oh, just pantomime; I didn’t care for 
it very much.” 

“ I went to see Cinderella and it was fine. 
There were some great enormous cologne 
bottles on the stage, and some girls came 
out of them dressed like the different per- 
fumes, you know, rose and lily and violet, 
and they danced.” 


162 


THEODORA 


“ How do you mean ? ” asked Pauline. 

“ The scene was the fairy god-mother’s 
toilet table. The whole stage was just 
that. There was a great big pin-cushion 
on the stage, and a puff-box, and cologne- 
bottles, and everything.” 

“ My Brother Benny took me to a show, 
too,” broke in Susie eagerly, “ and they were 
d-d-dolls, and one of them went right up in 
the air, out of sight, and then he d-dropped 
down and you heard him hollering, and he 
fell right on a donkey and it began to kick.” 
Susie threw back her head and laughed 
at the recollection. 

Estelle had put her arm about Theodora 
affectionately. “ I have something to tell 
you after a while,” she whispered. 

“What is it.?” 

“ I can’t tell you now ; I’ll tell you some 
time though. It’s something perfectly 

lovely ; that is I think so, — if we can do 

*1. 

it. 

Theodora was full of curiosity. Presently 
Estelle said, “ Let’s go and get a glass of 
water ; don’t you want to ? ” 


THE END OF THE HOLIDAYS 163 


‘‘ I want a glass of water, too,” chimed in 
Susie. 

‘‘ Oh, no, you don’t, Susie. You only 
say that because we’re going.” 

“ Yes, I do want it; I’m just as thirsty.” 

“ Very well, go and get it then ; I guess 
I don’t want any, anyway.” 

Susie looked disappointed. “ Ain’t you 
coming, Theodora ? ” she asked. 

Theodora shook her head. “ No, I don’t 
care for any.” 

Very slowly Susie went out by herself to 
the dining-room where the water-pitcher 
was. After all, she was not so very thirsty ; 
she hardly drank half a glassful. 

After she came back, Estelle and Theo- 
dora went off to the dining-room together. 
Susie looked after them longingly, but she 
did not follow. 

“ What was it you were going to tell me ” 
asked Theodora, as soon as they were alone. 

“ Well, Sister has just heard that Sara’s 
father and mother are going abroad in 
February, and they’re going to take Sara 
with them, and after she’s gone there won’t 


164 


THEODORA 


be anyone in the room with me, and I think 
it would be perfectly fine if Sister would let 
us have a room together, don’t you ? ” 

“ Yes, I do ; but do you suppose she 
would do it ? ” 

“ I don’t know, but we can ask her.” 

“ What room would we have ? ” 

“ I wish she’d put Susie in the little 
hall-room and let us have yours, but I 
don’t believe she’ll do that. I suppose 
we’d be in my room. It isn’t as big as 
yours, but couldn’t we have fun.? Some- 
times Sara and I whisper and tell secrets 
ever so long after we’re in bed.” 

“ It would be fun.” 

“ Well, don’t tell anybody about it yet, 
— not anybody, until after we’ve asked 
Sister Margaret.” 

That afternoon, while Theodora and 
Susie were up in their room, getting ready 
for a walk, Theodora said, “ Susie, what 
would you do if Sister were to put me in 
another room .? ” 

Susie looked startled. “ But she ain’t 
a-going to,” she said quickly. 


THE END OF THE HOLIDAYS 165 


“ But suppose she should ? You see 
you’re a very, very little girl, and of course 
I’m a great deal older than you, and 
you always go to bed long before I 
do.” 

“ It ain’t so very long, and anyway I’m 
most seven, and I’m getting a big girl now ; 
Sister says I am.” 

“ Yes, but you’re the littlest girl in the 
school.” 

“ Well, I ain’t so very little. And I’m 
a-going to ask Sister. I’m a-going to ask 
her not to put you in another room.” 

‘‘ No, you mustn’t do that,” said Theo- 
dora quickly. “ If you do that, I won’t 
play with you or talk to you or anything; 
you won’t, will you ? ” 

“ But I don’t want her to.” 

“ That doesn’t make any difference. You 
mustn’t say anything about it, will you ? ” 

“ No, but — ” 

“ There ! You’ve promised, and don’t 
forget; because if you say anything — 
anything at all — about it. I’ll be very, 
very angry,” 


166 


THEODORA 


Then, taking up her muff, Theodora 
ran downstairs, while Susie followed her 
slowly with an unhappy look on her little 
face. 


CHAPTER XIX 

POOR SUSIE ! 

f 1 1HEODORA and Estelle made a great 
many plans about when they should 
have a room together, though they said 
nothing about it to the other little girls. 

They were talking of it one day in early 
February while they were out taking a 
walk. Susie was just ahead of them with 
Helen. She looked back once or twice, but 
she could not hear what they were saying. 

When they came back to the school it 
was Sister Margaret instead of Esther who 
opened the door for them. Susie ran up the 
steps ahead of the others and gleefully held 
up to her a handful of red berries. 

“ Look, Sister ! ” she cried. “ I picked 
them for you. Ain’t they pretty ? ” 

‘‘ Yes, dear.” Sister took the berries, 
as Susie pressed them into her hand, but 
she scarcely looked at them. She waited 
167 


168 


THEODORA 


until the children had trooped past her, 
and then, closing the door softly, she drew 
Sister Grace aside and said a few words to 
her in a low tone. 

Sister Grace gave a quick exclamation 
of surprise and grief. 

“ Sh ! ” breathed Sister Margaret. They 
talked together for a few minutes longer 
and then Sister Margaret went over to 
Susie who was lingering by the hat-rack 
with some of the other children, and took 
her by the hand. “ Dear, I want you to 
come upstairs with me,” she said. 

Susie gave her a startled look. “ Why, 
Sister ? ” 

“ I have something to tell you.” 

The other children had overheard, and 
they hushed their talking and gazed curi- 
ously after Sister Margaret and Susie, as 
they went up the stairs together. 

“ I wonder what’s the matter,” said 
Estelle. “ I wonder if she’s been doing 
anything she shouldn’t.” 

Almost at the same moment, Susie, trudg- 
ing at Sister’s side, asked anxiously, “ I 


POOR SUSIE! 


169 


haven’t done anything n-n-naughty, have 
I?” 

“ No, no, dear ! nothing at all,” Sister 
answered quickly. “ You have been a 
very good little girl.” Then Sister Grace 
spoke to the other children, telling them to 
take off their things and get ready for their 
classes. 

Susie was not in school all that day. 
Theodora wondered where she was and 
why she did not come. She asked Sister 
Grace, but was answered only briefly, “ She 
is with Sister Margaret. I cannot explain 
to you just now, but I will tell all of you 
presently” 

It was not until lessons were over and 
the children were waiting to be dismissed 
that Sister Grace explained. She stood up 
beside her desk on the platform and her 
face was very grave. 

“ Children,” she began, “ I have some- 
thing to say to you before you go. Perhaps 
you wonder why I asked you, as I did, to 
be quiet during recess, and why I should 
now ask you to make as little noise as 


170 


THEODORA 


possible at your play to-day. A very great 
sorrow has come to your little play-mate, 
Susie.” She paused for a moment, and 
then went on, “ Susie’s brother Benny died 
last night.” The children gazed at her 
awestruck and silent. “ I know you will 
all feel very sorry for Susie and will be 
thoughtful and kind to her. She was 
devoted to her brother and very proud of 
him, and now, in her sorrow, she has 
reason to be prouder of him than ever 
for he died a noble and unselfish death. 
He followed in the footsteps of our Blessed 
Master, as it is given to few of us to do, 
for he gave his life for others.” 

She looked around at the children who 
sat intent and breathless. 

“ There was a fire last night in the 
lodging-house where Benny lived. Benny 
escaped in good time, but he heard that a 
little girl was still in one of the rooms, and 
he ran back into the burning house to save 
her. It was all in flames at the time and 
a fireman tried to stop him, but Benny 
broke away from him and made his way 


FOOR SUSIE! 


171 


in. No one who was there dared to hope 
that he would ever come out alive. He 
did, however, and in his arms he carried 
the little girl. He had muffled her face 
in his coat to save her from the flames, 
and probably, because of that, the little 
girl will live; but Benny died. The news 
was brought to Sister Margaret this morn- 
ing, while we were out.” 

Again she paused, and in the silence 
one of the children caught her breath with 
a half sob. 

“ Does Susie know ? ” asked Estelle in 
a hushed voice. 

“ Yes, she knows ; Sister Margaret has 
told her. It will be very hard for her, 
and we must all do everything we can to 
make it easier for her, and to-day, when 
you are in the chapel, perhaps you will 
each say a little prayer for her, and ask 
our Lord to have her in his kind and lov- 
ing keeping.” 

There was a moment’s pause, and then 
Sister Grace touched her bell. “ School is 
dismissed,” she said. 


172 


THEODORA 


The children pushed back their chairs 
carefully, trying to make as little noise as 
possible, and went softly from the class- 
room and down to the school parlor. There 
they gathered in a group and talked in low 
tones about Susie and her sorrow. 

“ What do you suppose she’ll do now ? ” 
asked Helen. “ Do you suppose she’ll 
stay here ? ” 

“ I don’t believe she has any place else 
to go,” said Estelle. “ She never talked 
about anybody but Benny; did she, Theo- 
dora ” 

Theodora shook her head. She did not 
feel like talking. 

“ I saw him once out in the hall when 
he came to see Susie,” Estelle added. 
“ I didn’t know who he was, but Esther 
told me.” 

Theodora remembered how Susie had 
led him over to shake hands with her at 
the Christmas party. It was strange to 
think she had shaken hands with him there 
in that very room such a few weeks ago, 
and it gave her a solemn, quiet feeling. 


POOR SUSIE! 


173 


Late that afternoon Sister Ruth opened 
the door of the parlor and called Theodora 
over to her. 

“ Theodora, would you like to have 
your supper up in the community-room 
with Sister Margaret and Susie ? ” she 
asked. “ Susie does not feel like coming 
down to the table, but she has asked 
whether you may not have supper up 
there with them.’’ 

Theodora caught her breath. She felt 
almost afraid. She could not think of 
Susie in her grief except as somehow strange 
and different from what she had been. 

Sister Ruth stood waiting. “You need 
not come unless you are quite willing,” 
she said, “ but I think it would be a kind 
and loving thing to do.” 

Then Theodora put her hand in Sister’s. 
“ Yes, I’ll come,” she said. 

As they went upstairs together a few 
minutes later, her heart was fluttering in 
her breast like a bird. “ Is she crying ? ” 
she asked in a tremulous voice. 

“ No, not now, but she is very sad, poor 


174 


THEODORA 


little child.” Then Sister opened the door 
of the community-room. ‘‘ Here is Theo- 
dora/’ she said. 

Susie was sitting on Sister Margaret’s 
lap, her head against Sister’s shoulder, and 
Sister’s arm around her. She looked very 
pale and quiet. She wore a black sash 
about her little white frock and her hair 
was tied back with a black bow. Sister 
Margaret had been reading aloud to her. 

‘‘ Come in, Theodora,” she said, looking 
up with a gentle smile, as the little girl 
appeared at the door. “ I am reading to 
Susie. Bring up a chair and then you 
may listen, too.” 

Theodora quietly got a chair and sat 
down close beside them. Susie’s eyes fol- 
lowed her as she crossed the room, but she 
did not speak and seemed too languid even 
to raise her head. 

“ This book is just like the one I used 
to have when I was a little girl,” Sister 
Margaret went on. Even the pictures 
are the same. I remember this one espe- 
cially.” She turned to a picture of a 


POOR SUSIE! 


175 


little girl and her father, looking at a pony 
which a boy was holding. 

Susie put her hand on the book and 
tilted it so that she could see, and Theo- 
dora looked too. 

My little sister,” Sister Margaret went 
on, “ used to sit in my mother’s lap, just 
as Susie is sitting in mine, and I used to 
sit beside them just as Theodora is doing, 
and then my mother would read and read. 
We never tired of hearing her. Generally 
Susie had a doll in her arms, for she dearly 
loved her dolls.” 

“ Susie ? ” exclaimed Theodora. “ Was 
that your little sister’s name ? ” 

Sister nodded with a smile. “ Yes, that 
was her name.” 

Susie glanced up at her and a faint 
flicker of a smile passed over her face. 
“ Tell about her — please,” she said. 

So Sister Margaret began to tell about 
her little sister and the games they used to 
play when they were children and about 
their far-away English home. 

Presently there was a little tinkling of 


176 


THEODORA 


china at the door, and Esther came in, carry- 
ing supper on a tray. 

Chairs were set at the table, and then, 
while they ate. Sister chatted with gentle 
cheerfulness. Theodora almost forgot the 
sad reason for having supper up there by 
themselves, it was so cosy, and Susie seemed 
for the time less sad and languid. But 
that night, after all were in bed and the 
house was still, Theodora was suddenly 
awakened from sleep by a pitiful wail from 
Susie. “ Oh-h-h ! I want brother Benny.” 

Almost immediately there was a light in 
the room and Sister Margaret was there. 
Sister sat down on the side of the little 
girl’s bed and stooped over her, speaking 
softly and soothingly. Susie still sobbed, 
but Theodora was very sleepy, and even 
with that sound in her ears she drifted 
off again into the quiet land of dreams. 

A number of days passed before Susie 
was back at school again. In that time 
the thought of her loss and sorrow had 
grown dim in the minds of the other children. 


POOR SUSIE! 


177 


Only at first was it brought freshly to them 
again when they noticed her little black 
frock and ribbons. But she herself was 
different. She was quieter and not so quick 
with her merry laughter, and she clung to 
Theodora more than ever. Theodora had 
been with her the greater part of every day, 
talking and playing with her, and now 
sometimes it seemed as though Susie could 
scarcely bear to have her out of her sight. 
There was no one else now to share the 
devotion with which her little heart seemed 
overflowing, and Theodora was very gentle 
with her, and no longer seemed to think her 
a trouble nor to wish her to go away and 
play with the other children. 


CHAPTER XX 

THEODORA CHANGES HER MIND 


NE evening, when the little girls were 



having their usual after-supper dance 
in the school parlor, Estelle put her arm 
around Theodora and drew her apart from 
the others. 

“ Come over to the sofa,” she said. “ I 
want to tell you something.” 

“ What is it .^ ” asked Theodora curiously. 

Estelle glanced around to make sure that 
no one was near to overhear. “ You know 
Sara is going away next week,” she said. 


“ Yes.” 


“ Well, I think we’d better ask Sister 
now about our having a room together.” 

Theodora looked uncomfortable. “ I’m 
afraid she won’t want us to.” 

“ I don’t believe she’ll care. She’s up 
in the community-room now. Suppose we 
go up and ask her ? What do you say ? ” 


178 


CHANGES HER MIND 


179 


“ I don’t know whether I’d like to.” 

“ Why not ? It wouldn’t do any harm, 
and if we both want it she ought to do it. 
Susie’s too little to be with you, any- 
way.” 

“ Yes, but she’s used to it now, and I 
don’t know what she’d do if I told her I 
was going to leave her.” 

“ I wouldn’t care if I were you. Sister 
oughtn’t to have put her with you in the 
first place.” 

“ But she did, and Susie would be so 
lonesome without me. Anyway, I’m almost 
sure Sister wouldn’t let us change.” 

‘‘ I just believe you don’t want to,” 
cried Estelle suspiciously ; “ and when we 
talked about it before you said you did, and 
I wrote home to mamma all about it.” 

“ I did think it would be fun, but it 
was different then.” 

“How different 

“ You see, then Susie — ” Theodora 
stopped. 

“ Susie what ? ” 

“ You see, she had Benny then, and 


180 


THEODORA 


now — Of course it would be fun, Estelle, 
but I don’t believe I will.” 

Estelle flushed angrily. “ Then don't! ” 
she cried, “ but I think you’re just too 
mean for anything. And you’ve broken 
your promise, because you said you 
would.” 

“ I don’t believe I really promised,” 
said Theodora uneasily. “ I just said it 
would be fun.” 

“ You did promise. You did ! And now 
you say you’d rather stay with Susie.” 

“ Oh, I didn’t say that.” 

“ Yes, you did ! And you just let her tag 
about after you all the time, too.” 

“ No, I don’t.” 

“ Yes, you do. And mamma thinks it’s 
very strange the Sisters have Susie here at 
all. She doesn’t like me to know children 
like that. She’s nothing but a little poor 
girl, anyway, and if you go with her you 
can’t go with me ; so there ! ” 

“ I don’t care whether I go with you or 
not,” said Theodora quietly, though her 
cheeks were flushed with anger. “ And 


CHANGES HER MIND 


181 


Sister wouldn’t like you to say such things. 
You know she wouldn’t.” 

“ Children ! Children ! ” Sister Felicita’s 
soft voice interrupted. She had noticed 
from across the room the angry looks of 
the two children and had come over and 
joined them. “ What is the matter ? ” The 
little girls were silent. She waited a mo- 
ment, and then went on, “ We are going 
to sing some songs now before we go to 
bed. I want you both to come over and 
sing, too. Come, Theodora ; come, Es- 
telle.” 

She led the way across to the piano, and 
the two children followed her. On the 
way Estelle found a chance to whisper, 
“ I’m never going to speak to you again, 
Theodora Winthrop.” 

And Theodora answered “ I don’t care.” 

In spite of what Estelle had said, it was 
not long before she and Theodora were 
friends once more, but they were never 
again quite as intimate as they had been. 
Marion was now the one to whom Estelle 


182 


THEODORA 


whispered secrets and with whom she 
danced in the evenings. 

Theodora talked and played a great deal 
with Susie. She told her long stories about 
her home and what she used to do there and 
all her toys and belongings; and Susie 
never tired of listening. 

“ I have a sitting-room of my own at 
home,” Theodora told her, “ with all my 
own things in it. When my father isn’t at 
home, I have dinner up there with my 
governess; but I don’t like it very much. 
I’d rather have it down in the dining-room.” 

“ Don’t you ever go down ? ” asked Susie. 

“ Oh yes, if my father is at home I do, 
but he dines out a great deal. If he’s at 
home, he has dinner early so that I can have 
it with him, and then afterward we go over 
to the library and he has his coffee there, 
and I always put the sugar in the cup for 
him. There’s a portrait of me there, 
but I don’t like it as well as the portrait 
in the dining-room. In the one in the 
dining-room I’m dressed in a little straight 
white satin frock ; it was made just for me 


CHANGES HER MIND 


183 


to be painted in. I don’t know where that 
dress is now. Cecile put it away. There’s 
a portrait of my mother in the dining-room, 
too. You know, she was very, very beau- 
tiful.” 

“ But you never saw her, did you ? ” said 
Susie. 

“No, she died when I was a little, little 
baby. I’m to have her pearls when I 
grow up ; the ones she has on in her portrait. 
My father is keeping them for me now. 
They’re in a safe at the bank.” 

“ Tell me about the toys, Th-Theodora. 
Tell me about them again, — about the big 
furry bear.” 

“ Oh, the bear ! it’s as big — as high 
as this — ” Theodora measured with her 
hand ; “ and it’s all furry, and has its 
mouth open so that you can see its 
teeth.” 

“ Oo ! ” Susie hugged herself delightedly. 
“ I saw a bear one time, and it was a real, 
live bear. Benny gave it a p-penny.” 

“ This one has a red and gold drum, 
and when you wind it up it beats the drum 


184 


THEODORA 


and dances in a slow, funny way, just the 
way real bears do.” 

“ And the doll-house ! ” 

“ Oh, yes ; it’s the loveliest doll-house 
you ever saw.” 

“ And I never sawed as big a one before, 
did 

“ ‘ Before ! ’ You haven’t seen it yet.” 

“ No, not yet,” sighed Susie, “ but when 
you tell me about it, I can peHend I’ve seen 
it, can’t I ? ” 

“ Yes, you can pretend, if you like. It 
has a little electric bell and a telephone, and 
a little piano in the drawing-room that 
you can really play on. There’s a nursery, 
too, with a tiny cradle, with the curtains 
tied back with blue ribbons, and a nurse 
doll whose arms will bend so that she can 
hold the baby doll. Of course I don’t 
play with it very often now, but I used 
to play with it.” 

“ Oh, Theodora ! ” cried Susie longingly, 
“ I wisht I could see them all jes’ once.” 

“ Maybe you can, when my father comes 
back.” 


CHANGES HER MIND 


185 


“ Will he let me ? ” 

“ Yes, I think so. You know I’ll go 
back home then, and when you come to 
see me I’ll show you all my toys and the 
portraits and my room and everything.” 

A shadow came over Susie’s face. “ I 
wish you weren’t going home. I wish you 
were going to stay here.” 

“ But if I stayed here, you couldn’t 
come to see me and you couldn’t ever, 
ever see my things.” 

That was true too and sometimes, after 
they had been talking, Susie quite longed 
to have Theodora’s father come home, 
just so that she might go up to the house 
and see for herself all the wonders that were 
there. 


CHAPTER XXI 


THEODORA S LETTER 


S Theodora was coming past the 



community-room one day Sister Mar- 
garet called her to come in. 

“ Here is a letter for you, my dear,” 
she said, holding out a foreign - looking 
envelope, addressed in Mr. Winthrop’s 
hand. 

“ From my father,” cried Theodora joy- 
fully. 

“ I think,” said Sister, “ that you will 
find some very good news in it.” She, 
too, had had a letter from abroad which 
she had just finished reading. 

“ What news. Sister ? ” 

“ Open it and see.” 

“ I wonder what it is ! ” Theodora tore 
open the letter with eager fingers and 
began to read; then she gave a cry of joy. 
“ He’s coming home ! ” 


186 


THEODORA^ S LETTER 


187 


“ Yes, he is coming home ; he is on the 
way already.” 

“ He says, in a few weeks. When do 
you think he will be here. Sister ? ” 

“ I do not know exactly when. He says 
he has not yet settled on the date of his 
sailing.” 

Theodora found her place again and read 
on. 

“ Only a few weeks more,” the letter 
said, “ and I shall be at home again after 
having been all the way around the world. 
I can hardly wait for the time when I can 
put my arms around my own dear little 
girl, and see the little face I love more 
dearly than any other in the world. I 
have just written to Sister Margaret, for 
as soon as I return I must have you at 
home again. I should be with you sooner 
but I am going to stop in England for a 
few days. Do you remember in the least 
your aunt Eleanore Campbell I hardly 
suppose you do, for you were only four years 
old when she went to England to live. 
Since your Uncle Campbell died, it has been 


188 


THEODORA 


very lonely for her there, and I am going to 
try to persuade her to come home with me. 
We must do our best to cheer her up. I 
hope you will love her very dearly, for when 
she and I were children she was always my 
favorite sister. Perhaps you must not love 
her too dearly, however, for I must always 
be first in my little daughter’s heart.” 

There was a great deal more in the letter, 
but the great news was that he was coming 
home; even what he said about bringing 
Aunt Eleanore with him was almost for- 
gotten in that. 

As soon as she had finished the letter, 
she was eager to share the news. “ I think 
I’ll go and tell Susie,” she said; and she 
ran away to look for the little girl. 

Hearing her talking to Esther in the hall 
below, she called to her over the banisters : 
“ Come up here, Susie; I have something 
to tell you.” 

“ Yes, I’m coming,” answered Susie 
obediently, leaving Esther and running up 
the stairs as fast as she could. 

Theodora led the way into their own room. 


THEODORA^ S LETTER 


189 


“ I’ve had a letter from my father/’ she said 
importantly. 

“ Have you ? ” 

“Yes; and, Susie, he's coming home!" 
Theodora’s face beamed, but as Susie 
looked at her, her own eyes grew big and 
serious. 

“ When is he coming ? ” she asked. 

“ I don’t know exactly, but as soon as 
ever he can. Sister says she doesn’t know 
what day he will sail. My Aunt Eleanore is 
coming with him. She’s my English aunt, 
and she’s coming over to live with us.” 

“Is she?" 

“ Yes, I think so.” 

“ I wish I could live with you, too,” 
said Susie. 

“ Oh, well, if you can’t do that, you can 
come up to see me at my house, you know.” 

But after all Susie knew that even seeing 
all the wonders that were there could not 
make up for having Theodora go away 
and leave her. 


CHAPTER XXII 
Theodora’s house 


/^NE lovely, mild afternoon, a few days 
after Theodora received her letter. 
Sister Grace who was going on an errand 
told Susie she would take her with her, and, 
as usual, the little girl wanted Theodora to 
come, too. Sister was willing, so Susie ran to 
look for her. She found her just finishing 
a game of battledore-and-shuttlecock with 
some of the other children over in the 
school parlor. Theodora was very glad 
of the chance to go out for a walk, and 
very soon the two little girls and Sister 
Grace were on their way up town through 
the clear, thin sunlight of the early spring. 
The springtime seemed to get into Susie’s 
feet for she skipped and bobbed about, 
instead of walking quietly like Theodora. 

“ Seems like my feet just wanted to run 
and run,” she said, “ but I ain’t a-going to 

190 


THEODORA'S HOUSE 


191 


let them. I’m just going to let them 
skip.” 

“ I think we shall have to give you a new 
name,” said Sister Grace. “ Miss Hop- 
pe ty skip ; how would that do .^ ” 

“ Miss Hoppe ty skip ! Miss Hoppe ty- 

skip ! ” sang Susie, making a chant of it. 

“ Oh, Susie ! ” said Theodora. “ Look 
at that woman over there; she’s staring at 
you. Why don’t you walk instead of 
jumping so ? ” She herself was walking 
along with her most princess-like air, and 
she could look quite like a princess when 
she chose. 

Susie peeped over at the woman. “ H-how- 
de-do, woman ? ” she said in a low voice. 
‘‘ You have a cat upstairs, ’cause I see it 
peekin’ out between the curtains.” Then 
she babbled on, “ I had a cat one time and 
she had a beautiful name, ’cause I named 
her myself. She was named Micey-Tom- 
Violets-Canary-bird.” 

“ Dear me ! What a long name for a 
pussy-cat,” said Sister Grace. 

“ Well, I named her Violets, ’cause she 


192 


THEODORA 


was so sweet, and Micey, so she could 
catch mice, an’ when she purred it was 
just like a canary-bird.” 

“ And Tom ? ” asked Sister. 

“ Oh, her name was Tom anyway. I 
used to dress her up and play she was my 
little girl, but she runned away and never, 
never, ne-e-ever earned back. Sister, what 
would you do with a kitty that runned 

“ I don’t know. Perhaps when she came 
back I would put her away in a muff-box 
and take her out only on Sundays to wear 
around my neck.” 

A moment later they turned into a street 
which Susie recognized. “ Oh, Sister, we’re 
going by Theodora’s house, ain’t we ” 
she cried joyfully. Once before the children 
had gone this way, when they were out 
walking with Sister Ruth, and Theodora 
had pointed out her home to Susie. It 
was a tall broad house, with brown stone 
steps and balustrade. The doors and win- 
dows had all been boarded up and the 
place had looked dusty and deserted, but 


THEODORA'S HOUSE 


193 


Susie had stared at it with eager eyes, for 
inside, in the darkness, were all the won- 
derful things about which Theodora had 
told her, the toys, the portraits, the big 
tiger-skin rug and everything. 

To-day she had expected to see it looking 
just the same, “ with its eyes tight-shut,” 
but as they came within sight of it, she 
gave an exclamation of surprise, ‘‘Why- 
e-e-e ! ” 

The boarding was down, the steps were 
swept, and a char- woman was busy cleaning 
the windows. 

“ Somebody’s there ! ” cried Theodora 
in great excitement. “ Who can it be ? 
Can’t we stop and see. Sister ? ” 

“ Just for a moment, if you like. I 
suppose they must be getting ready for your 
father’s return.” 

Theodora ran up the steps and rang the 
bell. There was a moment’s waiting and 
then the door was opened by Goodwin 
whose face brightened joyfully at sight of 
the little girl. 

“ Why, Miss Theodora, lamb, I was 


194 


THEODORA 


just thinking of you and wondering how 
long it would be before I saw you/’ she 
cried. “ How did you know the house was 

? 5> 

“ We were coming past, Sister Grace 
and Susie and I,. and we saw it. I wondered 
if you would be here. This is Goodwin, 
Sister.” 

Goodwin curtsied. 

“ Won’t you come in ? ” she asked hospi- 
tably. 

“ Please, Sister,” begged Theodora, and 
Susie chimed in, “ Please, ple-e-ease do ! 
I want to see Theodora’s house. Please, 
Sister dear.” 

“ Very well, then,” Sister agreed, “ but 
we cannot stay long. It must be only for 
a few minutes.” 

Theodora led the way into the house, 
and looked about her. How familiar it 
all was, and yet how strange, too, — as 
though she had been away from it for 
years ! She opened the library door. The 
floor was bare, the curtains gone, and a 
bleak light shone in through the windows. 


THEODORA'S HOUSE 


195 


From above the mantel the eyes of her own 
portrait looked at her. 

“ That’s you, Th-Theodora, isn’t it ? ” 
said Susie in an awe struck tone. 

“ Yes ; this is the library.” 

Susie looked about her. “ I didn’t know 
a liberry was like this,” she said in a disap- 
pointed tone. 

“ Oh, well, it doesn’t look like this gen- 
erally. It’s lovely when we’re here, but 
now, of course, there are no curtains or 
things. Come upstairs, and I’ll show you 
my room.” 

As they started up the stairway Sister 
called to them that it was time to go. 

“ Oh, Sister, just a little while longer,” 
begged Theodora. “I do want Susie to 
see my room.” 

“Very well, then; but don’t stay long.” 

“ We’ll be down in a minute,” Theodora 
promised. 

She hurried up the stairs, followed by 
Susie, and opened a door a little way along 
the hall. “ Here is my room,” she said 
proudly. 


196 


THEODORA 


Susie looked in and gave a cry of admira- 
tion. 

It was the loveliest room ! There were 
rose-colored silk curtains at the windows, 
white fur rugs lay here and there on the 
rose-colored carpet, and the furniture was 
of satin-wood. A long, swinging mirror 
reflected the figures of the two little girls as 
they stood looking in, 

“ You didn’t know my room was like 
this, either ; did you ? ” Theodora said. 

Susie shook her head. “No,” she 
breathed softly. 

“ You must see my toy-room, too.” 

Theodora closed the door, and led the 
way along the hall to another room. Here, 
on shelves around the walls, were arranged 
rows and rows of boxes. In one corner 
stood a doll-house and a great toy elephant, 
with a swinging head and a houdah on his 
back. Theodora began to pull down the 
boxes and lift out the toys. She had just 
taken out a curious music-box and was 
showing Susie how to wind it when Goodwin 
appeared at the door. 



“ In one corner stood a doll - house and a great toy 

ELEPHANT.” PcKje 196. 






THEODORA^S HOUSE 


197 


“ Miss Theodora, if you please, Sister 
Grace says you must come now.” 

“In a minute. I want to show Susie 
my doll house.” 

“ She says you’re to come right away. 
Miss. She’s waiting for you.” 

“ Oh dear ! ” said Theodora impatiently 
“ I wish we didn’t have to go.” She put 
down the music-box and led the way down- 
stairs. “You can see the rest of the things 
some other time, Susie,” she promised. 

After Sister and the children had said 
good-bye to Goodwin and were on their 
way up the street again, Susie was so 
quiet that Sister looked down at her with 
a smile and said, “ The music-box seems 
to have run down.” 

“ Oh, yes,” said Susie seriously. “ You 
have to keep winding it or it won’t go.” 
She was still thinking of the toys that 
Theodora had shown her. 

Sister laughed. “ I mean the music-box 
of your little tongue. It has run down, 
too, hasn’t it ? ” 

“ I don’t know,” said Susie. She was 


198 


THEODORA 


too busy, thinking of what she had seen, 
to talk. That beautiful room of Theodora’s ! 
And all those boxes full of toys ! She had 
never known before that any little girl 
could have, all for her own, such lovely 
things as she had just seen at Theodora’s 
house. 


CHAPTER XXIII 


A SURPRISE 


NE afternoon, when Sister Felicita 



was giving Theodora a music lesson, 
they were interrupted by a knock at the 
door, and in answer to Sister’s “ come in ” 
Esther’s round cheery face appeared in the 
door- way. 

“ Excuse me, Sister, but Sister Margaret 
says she would like Miss Theodora to come 
down to the drawing-room, if you please.” 

Theodora looked startled. “ What does 
she want, Esther ? ” 

“ If you please. Miss, I’m not to say, 
but it’s something ’ighly pleasing for you, 
Miss,” Esther’s good-humored face was 
fairly beaming. 

Theodora ran downstairs, full of curiosity, 
and pushing aside the drawing-room por- 
tieres went into the room. She had only just 
seen that Sister Margaret was there, sitting 


199 


200 


THEODORA 


over by the window with a strange lady, 
when arms were around her; someone had 
drawn her close and a dear familiar voice 
was saying, “ My little daughter ! My own 
little girl ! ” 

Theodora gave a cry of joy; “ Father ! ” 
and the next moment she was clinging to 
Mr. Winthrop with both arms about his 
neck and was kissing him again and again. 

“ My darling ; my dear little girl,” he 
said. He held her off and looked at her 
a moment, and then drew her to him 
again. Theodora gave a little sob. “ What ! 
Not crying ? ” said her father, but there 
was a catch in his own voice. 

“ I’ve wanted you so, father.” 

“ And I have wanted you, too.” He 
looked at her again. “ You don’t look as 
though you had missed me. Such round 
cheeks ! And actually rosy ! ” 

‘‘ You won’t leave me again, father 
dear, will you ? ” questioned Theodora. 
“ Not ever, ever again ? ” 

“ I hope not. I feel as though I could 
never go so far from you again. But 


A SURPRISE 


201 


here is someone else, whom you must be 
very glad to see though you do not know 
her yet.” He turned Theodora toward the 
strange lady “It is your Aunt Eleanore.” 

Theodora looked up at her aunt with some 
surprise. In the photograph they had of 
her at home she was gay and smiling, 
with bare shoulders, and a band of jewels 
in her hair; but now she was all in black 
and her face had an almost sad expression. 

Theodora put out her hand with her 
princess-like air. “ How do you do. Aunt 
Eleanore.” 

Her aunt stooped and kissed her. “ We 
don’t know each other yet,” she said gently, 
“but I hope before long we are going to 
be very fond of each other, for I am going 
to live with you now.” 

“ I am so glad,” said Theodora, and 
then she turned to her father again. “ You’ll 
take me home with you, won’t you ? ” 

“ Yes, I could not lose sight of you 
again. I have told Sister Margaret that I 
should want you to go with me. Ah ! here 
are your things.” Esther had appeared at 


202 


THEODORA 


the door, carrying Theodora’s coat and 
hat. 

“ We are very sorry to have her go,” said 
Sister, “ and we shall miss her very much, 
but I hope she will often come down to 
see us.” She was holding Theodora’s coat 
for her to put it on, but the little girl was 
so busy looking at her father that she could 
hardly get into it. Suddenly she paused. 

“ Susie ! ” she cried. “ I must say good- 
bye to her. Sister.” 

“ I will send Esther to call her, if you 
wish.” 

But Mr. Winthrop interfered. “ I’m 
afraid we cannot wait now. Perhaps, Sister, 
you will say good-bye to her for Theodora. 
Then to-morrow Theodora can come down 
— or at least very soon — to say good-bye 
to all the children.” 

“ Very well,” Sister agreed. 

The little girl would still have lingered, 
but her father took her by the hand. He 
was eager to get her home where they could 
talk at their leisure. “ Bid good-bye to 
Sister Margaret now. We will be back 


A SURPRISE 


203 


again soon, you know, to thank all the 
Sisters for their kindness to you.” 

“ Good-bye,” said Theodora. She held 
up her face to be kissed. “ You won’t 
forget to tell Susie ? ” 

“ No, I won’t forget.” 

But when they all came out into the hall 
together Susie was there standing near the 
door. She had heard Theodora’s voice in 
the drawing-room. 

“ My father has come, Susie,” Theodora 
cried as soon as she saw her. “ I’m going 
home with him.” Susie looked at her, 
bewildered. “ My father, you know, — 
and my Aunt Eleanore ; she’s come, 
too.” 

“ Is this your little room-mate ? ” asked 
Mr. Winthrop. 

“ Yes, it’s Susie.” 

“ You must come up to see Theodora 
in her own home some time.” 

“ Yes, you must come up and see me,” 
echoed Theodora, “ and I’ll come to see 
you too. I’ll come soon. Good-bye, Susie.” 

Suddenly Susie realized what it all meant. 


204 


THEODORA 


“ Can’t I go with you, Theodora ? ” she 
cried. 

“ Oh no, you couldn’t come with me, 
could she. Sister But you can come to 
see me, you know. I told you you could.” 

“ Come, dear, come,” urged Mr. Win- 
throp with affectionate impatience. 

“ Good-bye, Susie ! ” Theodora still 
looked back as she went down the hall. 
“ Good-bye, Sister.” 

Esther opened the front door for them; 
a moment more and they had gone on out 
and the door had closed behind them. Then 
suddenly Susie broke into a wail, and turn- 
ing hid her face in the folds of Sister’s habit. 
Theodora had gone ! 


CHAPTER XXIV 


NEWS 

TT was several days before Theodora 
^ came down to the school again. She 
was busy making the acquaintance of her 
Aunt Eleanore, looking at the wonderful 
things her father had brought home with 
him, and hearing about his travels. A great 
many people were coming and going, too. 
She hardly had time to think about the 
Sisters. 

It was not until the fourth day that she 
and her aunt came down to call at the 
school, Susie unfortunately was out when 
they arrived. She had gone for a walk with 
Sister Grace, Sister Margaret told Theodora, 
but some of the other children were over in 
the school-parlor, and, after Theodora had 
stayed in the drawing-room with Sister and 
her aunt for a while, she went over to the 
parlor. 


205 


206 


THEODORA 


When she entered, the little girls were all 
clustered around the big well-known centre 
table with its red cover. They were look- 
ing at a picture book which had just been 
sent as a birthday present to one of 
them. 

Pauline was the first to see the visitor. 
“ Why, there’s Theodora,” she cried. She 
jumped up and came over to meet her, 
followed by the others. 

“ Why haven’t you been down before F ” 
demanded Estelle. 

“ I couldn’t come. People were coming 
in to see us, and we had so many things to 
do.” 

“ What did your father bring you F ” 

“ Oh, a whole boxful of things. I’ll 
show you sometime.” 

“ Theodora, what do you think ! ” cried 
Marion ; “ we’re none of us coming back 
here next year.” 

“ Why not F ” 

“ There isn’t going to be any school.” 

“ Sister’s going back to England,” Estelle 
took up the tale. “ The Mother Superior 


NEWS 


207 


died and Sister’s been made Mother Su- 
perior, and Sister Felicita’s going to Aus- 
tralia, and I don’t know what the others are 
going to do, only there won’t be any school. 
I’m glad of it, anyway. I’m crazy to go to 
Madame Vinot’s, and maybe mamma’ll 
send me now. Gladys Farell goes there, 
and she says it’s lovely. Some of the girls 
have their own ponies and they have lots 
of fun.” 

“ I think maybe I’ll have a governess 
at home,” said Marion. 

Theodora had a blank feeling. She had 
thought the school would always be there. 
“ I wonder where Susie will go ” she 
asked. 

“ She’s going to live with her aunt,” 
said Edith. 

“ Her aunt ! I didn’t know she had one.” 

“ Neither did I, but she was here 
the other day. I don’t believe Susie likes 
her very much. I think she cried when 
Sister told her she would have to live 
with her.” 

“ Cried ! ’’ 


208 


THEODORA 


“ Yes ; she didn’t want to go.” 

“ When is she going ? ” 

“ Oh, I don’t know. When school breaks 
up, I suppose.” 

Theodora looked serious. The others 
began to chatter of other things and to tell 
her of all that had happened since she had 
left, but Theodora’s mind was full of 
the news she had just heard. She wanted 
to know more about it, but the children 
could tell her nothing further. They had 
only known about it themselves since 
yesterday. 

After a while Esther came to tell her that 
her aunt was ready to leave. 

“ I wish you didn’t have to go yet,” said 
Pauline, slipping her arm around her. 

“ I wish I didn’t have to, too, but I 
suppose I must. Good-bye, everybody ! ” 

“ Good-bye,” answered the children. 
They were sorry to have her go, but 
after the door closed behind her they went 
back to their picture-book and their cheer- 
ful school chatter. 

Out in the hall Mrs. Campbell and Sister 


NEWS 


209 


Margaret were talking earnestly together. 
They paused as the little girl came over to 

them, and Sister smiled down at her. 

“ Did you have a pleasant talk with the 
little girls ? ” she asked. 

“ Yes ; but Sister, they said you are going 
away. Are you, really and truly ? To stay, 
I mean ? ” 

Sister’s face grew serious. “ Yes, dear, 
at least as far as we can tell now we shall 
soon be returning to England.” 

“ Won’t you ever come back ? ” 

“ Ever is a long time, but as things are 
at present, I hardly think it possible. The 
school may be carried on, however, by 
someone else.” 

“ Estelle said she wasn’t coming back, 
and Marion isn’t either. Oh, Sister, I wish 
you weren’t going away.” 

“ We shall miss our children very much. 
I think we have had a circle of very lovely 
little pupils. But it will be some time before 
we go, and we shall see you often before 

then. ” 

“ I wish you weren’t going,” repeated 


210 


THEODORA 


Theodora. “ And they said Susie was 
going to be with her aunt. Is she ? ” 

“ I think that will be the arrangement.” 
“ Does she want to go to her ? ” 

Sister Margaret hesitated for a moment. 
“ I think she feels sorry to leave us,” she 
said at last. “ I would like to take her 
with us to England, but — ” she paused. 

“ I suppose her aunt would not wish 
her to go so far away,” suggested Mrs. 
Campbell. 

“ Perhaps,” said Sister Margaret thought- 
fully. Then she went on more briskly. 
“ Mrs. Campbell has invited Susie and 
Estelle and Marion and Edith and Pauline 
to come up and have luncheon with you 
next Saturday, Theodora. It will be quite 
a party. I know the children will be 
delighted.” 

“ Oh, that is very nice,” said Theodora. 
“ Please tell Susie to be sure to come ; and 
won’t you tell her I was so sorry to miss her. 
Sister, if you please ? ” 

“ Yes, I will tell her and I am sure she 
will be quite heart-broken to have missed 


NEWS 


211 


you, but she will see you Saturday, at any 
rate/’ 

Then they said good-bye, and Theodora 
and her aunt went on home together. All 
the way Theodora talked of the Sisters’ 
going away and of Susie. It seemed strange 
to think that the school would not be there 
the next year; it gave her a lonesome 
feeling. 


CHAPTER XXV 
Theodora’s sister suzanne 

rpHE next Saturday when the little 
visitors arrived Theodora was on the 
watch for them. She ran down to the hall 
to meet them and then led them up to her 
own sitting-room. 

Susie kept close to her and slipped her 
hand into hers whenever she could. When 
they reached the sitting-room, the little 
girl looked about her with eager interest. 
“ Why-ee ! I never was in here before, 
was I ” she cried. It was a large pleasant 
room at the front of the house. There 
were easy chairs and flowers and Theodora’s 
writing-desk with all her little things on it, 
and a row of low shelves filled with her 
books. 

“ Won’t you show us what your father 
brought home to you ? ” asked Estelle. 

“ He brought so many things ; I’ll show 
212 


THEODORA^ S SISTER SUZANNE 213 


you some of them.” Theodora opened a 
carved teak-wood box on the table and took 
out a package of rice-paper pictures of 
child-life in Japan, most exquisitely painted. 
“ These are some of the pictures,” she 
said. 

While the little girls were looking at 
them Mrs. Campbell came in. She greeted 
the children cordially, and for a while looked 
over the pictures with them, explaining 
the different scenes; then she sat down by 
one of the windows with her embroid- 
ery. 

After the pictures there were other things 
for the children to see, and Theodora was 
delighted to show them. Susie was inter- 
ested, too, but she was eager to go to the 
toy-room. 

“ We’ll go in a minute, Susie,” said 
Theodora as the little girl kept urging her. 
“ In just a minute.” 

Suddenly Susie spied a little bronze 
figure of a bear on Theodora’s writing- 
desk. “ Oh, the cunning little bear ! ” 
she cried, picking it up. 


214 


THEODORA 


“ Take care ! ” cried Mrs. Campbell 
quickly; “it’s an ink-stand.” But she 
spoke too late. Susie had tilted the bear, 
and the ink with which it was filled had 
run out over her fingers, and down the 
front of her dress. 

“ Oh, Susie ! ” cried Theodora, and Mrs. 
Campbell, with an exclamation of dismay, 
dropped her embroidery and hurried over 
to the little girl. Some of the drops trickled 
to the soft blue carpet. 

As Susie looked down at what she had 
done, her lip trembled and her eyes filled 
with tears. “ I d-d-didn’t mean to ! ” she 
said. “ I didn’t mean to.” Her voice 
caught in a sob. 

The other little girls looked on in silent 
dismay. 

“ Don’t cry,” said Mrs. Campbell. “ It 
does not matter at all. Cecile can take the 
ink out of the carpet with some milk. As for 
your frock, I think we’ll have to take it 
off and give it to her to be cleaned, too. 
She can probably take the stains out of it 
if she has it while they’re fresh. Come 


THEODORA* S SISTER SUZANNE 215 


with me and we will see what we can do.” 
She took the little girl’s hand and led her 
from the room. 

“ I’m glad I didn’t do it,” said Estelle, 
“ Susie’s always upsetting things.” 

“ Oh, Estelle ! I don’t think she is,” 
cried Edith. 

“ Yes, she is ; she upset a whole glass of 
milk over my red dress the other day.” 

“ That was your own fault,” retorted 
Pauline. “ You joggled her elbow.” 

“ Well, she broke a vase yesterday ; I 
guess that wasn’t my fault, was it ? ” 

‘‘ No, that wasn’t ; she cried about it, 
too.” 

“ Did she ? ” asked Theodora. 

“ Yes ; it seems to me she cries all the 
time now. Were you in the room when her 
aunt came the other day, Edith ? ” 

“ No.” 

“ Esther came and told Susie her aunt 
was there, and she almost cried then. She 
didn’t want to go over to the drawing-room 
to see her.” 

“ Why not ? ” asked Theodora. 


216 


THEODORA 


“I don’t believe she likes her; I think 
she’s afraid of her.” 

Theodora’s eyes grew big. “ Afraid of 
her! Why.?” 

“ I don’t know why, but her aunt’s 
awfully cross-looking.” 

“ Where did you see her .? ” 

“ She was in the hall the other day when 
I was coming downstairs, and she has a 
voice like this.” Estelle made her voice 
very loud and harsh as she spoke. 

Cecile came in at this moment with a 
basin and some cloths, and kneeling beside 
the desk began to put milk on the ink 
stains. Theodora watched her absently 
for a few moments. Then she began 
again. 

“ I don’t see why Sister Margaret lets her 
go if she doesn’t want to.” 

“ Sister can’t help it ; Mrs. Zeigler’s Susie’s 
aunt; if she wants to take her with her, 
I guess she has a right to.” 

“ Well, I wouldn’t let her go, anyway,” 
cried Theodora. 

“ What would you do .? ” 


THEODORA^ S SISTER SUZANNE 217 


‘‘ I don’t know ; I’d get my father to do 
something.” 

“ He couldn’t do anything.” 

“ Yes, he could, if I asked him.” 

“ I guess he couldn’t.” 

“ Yes; he could I know.” 

“ Well, I’m sorry she has to go,” Edith 
interrupted in her gentle voice. “ I wish 
the Sisters could take her with them.” 

Cecile had finished mopping up the ink 
now. The stains had almost entirely come 
out; they would hardly show when the 
carpet was dry. Just as she went out with 
the basin, Mrs. Campbell came in, leading 
Susie by the hand. 

“ Why, Susie ! ” cried Edith, while the 
other children stared at her in sur- 
prise. 

“ Have you met Theodora’s little sister, 
Suzanne ? ” asked Mrs. Campbell gayly. 

Susie was dressed in a little white em- 
broidered frock, which Theodora had out- 
grown. Her hair was arranged just as 
Theodora wore hers and tied with one of 
Theodora’s rose-colored ribbons. She stood 


218 


THEODORA 


looking at the children shyly, not knowing 
what they would think of it all. 

“ What a pretty dress ! ” cried Edith ; 
“ and how sweet you look ! ” 

“ It’s the dress Aunt Houghton gave me, 
isn’t it ? ” asked Theodora. 

“ Yes ; isn’t it fortunate that I found one 
to fit her ? Her own frock will be ready 
for her to put on by the time she goes home, 
and while it is drying she can wear this. 
And now come, children ; luncheon is 
ready and we will go downstairs.” 

Luncheon was a very merry meal, and 
no one enjoyed it more than Susie. When 
Mrs. Campbell said something funny, her 
laugh rang out above all the others’. She 
quite forgot she had upset the ink and how 
unhappy it had made her. She drank her 
milk from a silver goblet, marked with Theo- 
dora s initials, and it was almost as though 
she really were Theodora’s little sister. 

After luncheon they went at last to the 
toy room, and Susie could then tell the 
others a great deal about the toys. She 
knew them all, — the doll-house with the 


THEODORA^S SISTER SUZANNE 219 


little electric bell, the bear that danced, 
the elephant with the houdah, the box of 
chimes — for the things she had not seen 
Theodora had told her about. She could 
even direct Estelle how to wind up the 
music-box with the little dancing figures 
on top, though Estelle did not like at all to 
have Susie direct her about anything. 

When Sister Grace came for the children 
they could hardly believe it was as late as 
it was. 

“ I’ve had a perfectly lovely time,” 
said Edith, and the others echoed her. 
But Susie put her arms about Theodora 
and whispered to her, “ I wish I didn’t 
have to go; I wish I could stay with you 
for ever ’n’ ever.” 

But she could not do that. She was 
obliged to take off the little white frock she 
had been wearing all day and put on her 
own dress, which was by this time quite 
dry. She was now no longer Theodora’s 
sister Suzanne, but plain little Susie, who 
had to go back to the school with Sister 
Grace, just like the other children. 


CHAPTER XXVI 

THEODORA ASKS HER FATHER 

rpHAT evening when Mr. Winthrop 
came into the library he found Theo- 
dora already there looking over the pictures 
in the big picture book she loved so well. 
There were the same familiar figures, Elaine, 
Lancelot, Sir Bors — there Queen Guinevere 
and her court were all riding a-maying. It 
was good to see them once more. It was good 
to be back again in her own home too, good 
to have her father sometimes call her his 
Princess, good to have her own way again 
in almost everything. She jumped up to 
greet her father, and as he sat down, he 
drew her to him and smiled fondly at her. 

“ What have you been doing all day, 
my little daughter ? ” he asked. 

“ IVe had visitors, you know ; Estelle 
and Susie and some of the others.” 

“ Did you have a pleasant time ? ” 

220 


ASKS HER FATHER 


221 


“ Yes, we had a lovely time, only Susie 
upset the ink and spilled it all over her 
frock. Aunt Eleanore had to dress her in 
one of my frocks while her own was being 
cleaned.’’ 

‘‘ Susie was your little room-mate, was 
she not ? ” 

“ Yes ; and, father, I want to tell you ! ” 
Theodora’s face grew very earnest. “ Pau- 
line says she has to go and live with her aunt 
and she cried and cried, because she didn’t 
want to go.” 

“ Pauline didn’t want to ? ” 

‘‘ No, Susie; it’s Susie’s aunt you know, 
and Pauline says she thinks Susie’s afraid 
of her. Couldn’t you do something about 
it, father ? Couldn’t you ? ” 

“My dear child, it is nothing I could 
interfere with. The little girl’s people are 
the ones to decide.” 

“ But she hasn’t anybody, not anybody, 
father — except Benny, and he’s dead.” 

“ Then, if she has no one else, of course 
she must go to her aunt. It is very sad 
when children are left alone in the world, 


222 


THEODORA 


but she might be even worse off. She 
might have nobody at all, and no place to 
go except among strangers.” 

“ She might come here.” 

Mr. Winthrop smiled. “To live ? ” 

“ Yes ; why not ? I would like to have 
her and she would love to come. I know 
she would; she said so.” Theodora drew 
back, so as to see his face. “ Why couldn’t 
she do it, father ? ” she demanded. 
“ Couldn’t she ? ” 

“ Hardly, my dear. I should not want 
even the child of someone I knew to come 
and live in our household, and certainly 
not this little girl, of whom I know nothing. 
Who is her aunt ? ” 

“ I’ve forgotten her name,” said Theo- 
dora. “ It was a queer name.” She began 
to tell him about Susie, about her funny 
ways and her odd toys, and of Benny and 
Benny’s death. She grew very eager over 
the tale, but Mr. Winthrop frowned. 

“ Really,” he said, “ I did not understand 
from Sister Margaret that your room-mate 
was a little girl of that sort.” 


ASKS HER FATHER 


223 


“ Oh, she’s a dear little girl,” cried 
Theodora. “ Sister says she is, and I 
just love her. I wish she could come here. 
I would love to have her; truly I would. 
Please say yes, father.” 

Mr. Winthrop looked annoyed. He put 
Theodora aside and rose to stand before 
the empty fire-place. ‘‘ My dear, this is 
too absurd,” he said. “ Of course she can- 
not come here ; so let us have no more talk 
about it. Ah, here is your aunt ! ” The 
door had opened and Mrs. Campbell had 
come in. “ Now let us go in to dinner.” 

So the matter ended, for the time at least, 
and later on, as Mr. Winthrop looked over 
at Theodora, silently eating her dinner, he 
did not guess that she was still thinking of 
Susie and of her coming there to live. He 
had been rather annoyed when she spoke 
of it, because it was so absurd and she had 
seemed so in earnest, but of course it had 
been only a passing fancy, and she would 
never think of it again; particularly after 
what he had said ; he took that for granted. 


CHAPTER XXVII 
Susie’s aunt 


T>ETWEEN the times of Theodora’s 
visits to the school many changes 
took place. The class year at the Sisters 
ended earlier than at most other schools, 
and it was just as the weather was be- 
ginning to grow warmer that the little 
scholars left for their own homes. Several 
of them, before they went, promised to 
write to Theodora, and Edith gave her a 
little gold pin to remember her by. Estelle 
said maybe she would write, too, but she 
didn’t know; she hated letters so, except 
to receive them. 

A silence had fallen on the long school- 
parlor where there used to be much stir 
and chatter, and the rooms had a vacant 
look. A great deal of the furniture had 
already been sent away, and corded boxes 
stood in the upper hall. 

224 


SUSIE^S AUNT 


225 


One day, when Theodora came down 
to call, Esther, who opened the door for 
her, told her that Susie was going away 
that day, too. 

“ Going to-day ” cried Theodora. 

“ Yes, Miss, this very afternoon. Her 
aunt’s come for her and they’re in the draw- 
ing-room with Sister Margaret.” 

“ Shall I go in there ? ” asked Theodora. 

Esther hesitated a moment; then — 
“ If you please, Miss,” she said. 

The little girl pushed aside the portiere 
and entered. Over by the window Sister 
Margaret was sitting, with Susie standing 
beside her, and in a chair opposite sat a 
large, red-faced woman. 

Sister rose and came forward to meet 
Theodora, but Susie stood where she was 
and did not even smile. 

“ How do you do, dear ! ” and Sister 
stooped to kiss the little visitor. “ This is 
Theodora, Mrs. Zeigler,” she went on, 
turning to the strange woman. ‘‘ She was 
Susie’s room-mate here.” 

The woman rose to shake hands with the 


226 


THEODORA 


little girl. Her hand felt hard and bony 
inside its cotton glove, and she smiled a 
crooked, unpleasant smile. She wore a 
gay hat with roses in it and a faded black 
cape. 

“ I wonder whether you took on about 
leaving school the way Sue’s done,” she 
said. “ I tell her she’d ought to be thankful 
to have an aunt like me to go to, instead 
of making such a fuss over leaving 
here.” 

“ I hope all our little scholars were sorry 
to leave us,” said Sister Margaret. 

“ Well, I hope they didn’t fret like Sue. 
I never could stand fretting. I don’t 
allow it with any of my children; no, nor 
Mr. Zeigler either.” 

“We should be afraid she had not been 
happy with us, if she did not show some 
feeling of regret now that she is to leave us,” 
and Sister Margaret drew her hand lovingly 
over Susie’s dark mop of curly hair. 

“ Feelings ! ” the woman caught up the 
word. “ Laws, I got feelings, too. That’s 
the reason I won’t let nobody else keep 


SUSIE^S AUNT 


227 


Sue. ’Twas little enough Benny left — 
only a few hundreds, — and that don’t go 
anyways to pay for a growing child like her. 
My ! I know how they eat ; but that don’t 
make any difference. After all she’s my 
own sister’s child, and blood’s thicker’n 
water. That’s what I say, though you 
wouldn’t think Sue felt so, from the way 
she’s been acting.” 

Sister Margaret turned to the little girl. 
“ You would better go upstairs and get 
your hat, dear,” she said gently. “ Sister 
Ruth is up there, I think, and I will come 
up in a minute. Theodora, you may go 
with her.” 

Susie gave Sister a quick, pleading look, 
but she went obediently to the door, without 
a word ; Theodora followed her as silently. 
On their way upstairs the two children 
could still hear Mrs. Zeigler talking down 
in the drawing-room. 

They did not speak until they reached the 
room that had been their own for so many 
months. No one was there and, as Susie 
hurriedly got out her little hat and coat. 


228 


THEODORA 


Theodora said, “ Oh, Susie, I wish you 
didn’t have to go.” 

“ She says I’ve got to.” Susie glanced 
back over her shoulder at the door; then 
she added in a quick whisper, “ Oh, Theo- 
dora, I’m scared of her.” 

“ Why ? ” Theodora’s eyes grew big. 

“ I don’t know ; but I wish I could go 
home with you. I wish I could ! ” 

“ I wanted my father to let you, but he 
said no. I’m going to ask him again, 
though. I’m going to beg him to let you 
come.” 

“ Will you ? W-will you, Theodora ? ” 
cried Susie eagerly. 

“ Yes, I will. I’ll ask him just as soon 
as he comes home this evening.” 

They talked on about it in whispers until 
presently Sister Ruth appeared at the door. 
“ I didn’t know you had come up, dear,” 
she said to Susie. Then she greeted Theo- 
dora, but in a preoccupied way. “ Give 
me your hat and coat, dear.” She took 
Susie’s things and began to put them on the 
little girl with tender touches. Sister Mar- 


SUSIE*S AUNT 


229 


garet came upstairs and joined them, and 
when, a little later, they went out in the hall. 
Sister Grace and Sister Felicita were there. 

“ Good-bye, childie ! ’’ Sister Grace 
stooped to kiss Susie, and Sister Ruth and 
Sister Felicita kissed her too, and then they 
lingered by the banisters as Sister Margaret 
went downstairs with the two children. 

In the hall below, Mrs. Zeigler was 
waiting impatiently. “ Laws ! it takes you 
as long to get on your hat and coat, as if 
you were dressing,” she cried. 

‘‘ I’m sorry,” said Sister Margaret, “ but 
the others wanted to say good-bye to her.” 

“ Oh, that’s all right ; ” Mrs. Zeigler 
spoke more good-naturedly ; “ only I got 
to be getting on home. Come on, Sue ; say 
good-bye to Sister, and thank her for taking 
care of you. Good-bye ; ” she shook Theo- 
dora’s hand again. “ You must come and 
see Sue sometimes ; we’ll always be pleased 
to see you.” 

After they had gone. Sister turned to 
Theodora. She looked weary and rather 


230 


THEODORA 


pale. “ Well, dear,” she said, smiling 
faintly, “ we are quite alone now, with all 
our little scholars gone. Will you come 
up to the community-room and see the 
others for a little while ? They will want to 
see you.” 

“ Yes, I’d like to, but I have to go home 
soon.” She slipped her hand into Sister’s. 
“ Will Susie live wdth her aunt now ? ” 
she asked. 

“ Yes, dear.” 

‘‘ Where does she live ? ” 

“ Over on the East Side ; you would not 
know the street.” Sister began to speak 
of something else and led the way upstairs. 
But all the while that Theodora was visiting 
with the Sisters, her thoughts kept wander- 
ing off to Susie. Yes, she would ask her 
father again; she would ask him in that 
half hour they always had together before 
her aunt came downstairs. She had not 
begged him hard enough before. If he 
could only understand how much she wanted 
Susie to live with her, she was sure he could 
not help saying yes. 


CHAPTER XXVIII 


THEODORA KEEPS HER PROMISE 

AT HER, I want to ask you some- 
thing.” Theodora was sitting on the 
arm of her father’s chair in the library, 
her arm about his neck and her head resting 
against his. 

“ You want to ask me something ? ” Mr. 
Winthrop smiled fondly as he took in his 
the little hand that rested on his shoulder. 

“ Yes ; and it’s something very, very 
important, and I want you to say yes to 
it, father.” 

“ Say yes before I know what it is ” 

“ Please ! I want it so very much, and 
if you would only promise I should be so 
very, very happy.” 

“ I think I generally do what will make 
you happy, if it is possible, do I not ? ” 

“ Yes, and this is possible ; truly it is. 
So won’t you promise, father ? ” 

231 


232 


THEODORA 


“Not before I know what it is, Theodora. 
I could not do that, my daughter.” 

“ But I want it so much,” pleaded 
Theodora, “ and I’m so afraid you will 
say no. You know the other day — ” she 
stopped suddenly. 

“ What about the other day ? ” 

“ You said — you said you didn’t want 
her.” It was harder to ask him than she 
had thought it would be. 

“ Want her ? Want whom ? ” 

“ You know ; ” she spoke very softly. 
“ Susie.” 

Mr. Winthrop’s smiling look changed- 
His brows drew together. “ Susie ! I hope 
what you are going to ask me has nothing 
to do with your little room-mate at the 
school.” 

Theodora’s heart sank at his tone, but 
now she hurried on. “ Yes, it has. I do 
want Susie to come here to live. Oh, I do, 
father dear. And she could, you know. 
She could sleep in the room next to mine, and 
I’d give her some of my toys and everything, 
she doesn’t want to go to her aunt. I 


KEEPS HER PROMISE 


233 


promised her I’d ask you. Won’t you let 
her come ? Please, please father ! Please 
say yes ! ” 

Mr. Winthrop put Theodora aside and 
rose. ‘‘ Really,” he said, “ this is quite 
absurd, my child. I thought I explained 
to you before, how absolutely out of the 
question such a thing would be. I am 
surprised that you should speak of the 
matter again.” 

“ But why, father ? I would like to have 
her. Truly, I would. And I love her 
better than any of the children. Why mayn’t 
she come ? ” 

“ Listen to me, Theodora.” Mr. Win- 
throp spoke slowly and impressively; he 
wished to settle this matter once and for all. 
“ Not under any possible circumstances 
would I have this little Susie here. She 
is not even the kind of child whom I would 
have you choose for a friend, and I am 
very well satisfied that things have come 
to an end as they have — that you will not 
see each other again.” 

“ But why ? ” cried Theodora rebel- 


234 


THEODORA 


liously. “ I want to see her again. Is it 
because she’s poor ? I don’t mind her 
being poor. Estelle did, but I don’t ! ” 

“ I cannot discuss the matter with you, 
Theodora. You must just take my word for 
it. This child cannot, cannot come here. 
And now I hope you will never speak of 
this matter again. It annoys me, annoys 
me very much. Do you understand P ” 
Theodora’s lip trembled. She had never 
been spoken to by her father in such a 
tone before. As Mr. Winthrop looked at 
her his face softened. He put out his hand 
and drew her to him. “ Don’t you think 
you can be contented with just your aunt 
and me, my little daughter ? ” he asked. 
“ It seems to me we might be enough.” 
As Theodora was still silent, he stooped and 
looked into her face with smiling eyes. 
“ Don’t you think so ” 

Theodora turned away her head. “ I 
don’t know,” she murmured; but in her 
heart she did not think they were enough. 
She wanted Sus^e, and it was unkind of 
him not to let her come. She had almost 


KEEPS HER PROMISE 


235 


a feeling of resentment against her father. 
He could let Susie live with them so perfectly 
well, if only he would, and now he had said 
no again. Yes it was unkind, unkind of 
him. 


CHAPTER XXIX 


AT LAKEWOOD 

liyrRS. Campbell did not think Theodora 
looked well. The child was pale 
and languid, and one evening, after she 
had gone to bed, her aunt suggested to 
Mr. Winthrop that she should take her 
away for a time. 

“ That is not at all a bad idea,” said Mr. 
Winthrop. “ Where would you like to go ? 
To the seashore ? ” 

“ I had thought of Lakewood.” 

“ I suppose you would be away for about 
two weeks ? ” 

“ I had thought so, if you approved of the 
plan; then we could go to Bar Harbor 
later, when you are ready to go, too.” 

“ Yes ; that would be a very satisfactory 
arrangement.” 

Mr. Winthrop was very glad that Mrs. 
Campbell had made this suggestion. He 

236 


AT LAKEWOOD 


237 


himself did not think that Theodora was 
looking very well, and the change would 
probably do her good ; but he had another 
reason for wishing her to go. He had just 
heard that the Sisters would be sailing for 
England very soon now, and he thought 
it better that Theodora should be away 
from all the excitement of the leave-taking. 
When she came back they would be gone, 
the school would be closed, and all this 
foolish whim of hers about Susie would be 
forgotten. Taking everything into account, 
it certainly was better for her to be away 
for a time. 

Preparations were hastily made, trunks 
were packed, and in a pleasant little stir 
of excitement Mrs. Campbell, Theodora 
and C&ile started off one morning on their 
way to Lakewood. Theodora thoroughly 
enjoyed the whole thing. She liked the 
preparation, the journey in the train, and 
the change of scene. 

When they reached the hotel she found 
there were several children there, and she 
very soon made their acquaintance. That 


238 


THEODORA 


was pleasant, and then, besides, her aunt 
was such a delightful companion. She and 
Theodora had many a merry time together. 
They drove, and boated, and took long 
walks in the pine woods, and the fresh, 
sweet air brought the color into the little 
girl’s cheeks and brightened her eyes. She 
still spoke of Susie, but she no longer wor- 
ried about her, and she looked happier 
and better than she had done for weeks. 

One day she began talking about the 
Sisters again and planning how she would go 
down to see them as soon as she went home. 

“ I am afraid you must not count on 
that, dear,” said Mrs. Campbell. 

“Why not.?” 

“ Your father told me in his letter this 
morning, that the Sisters had already sailed 
for England.” 

“ Sailed ! ” cried Theodora in dismay. 
“ Oh ! I wish I hadn’t come away. I 
promised to go to see Sister Margaret 
again. And Susie ! How am I to see Susie 
if they have gone ? ” 

“ I would not worry about that now. 


AT LAKEWOOD 


239 


dear. It will be soon enough to think of 
it after we go home.’’ 

“ But I don’t know where she lives,” 
bewailed Theodora. “ Oh, Aunt Eleanore 
will you help me find her after we get back ? 
Will you ? ” 

“I don’t know, dear; I shall have to 
think it over ; but we can not do anything 
now at any rate ; and if we are going to take 
a drive this afternoon we must go back to 
the hotel and get ready. How would you 
like to ask one of the children to go with 
us ? We might ask Constance ; she seems 
to be such a dear little girl. I believe I 
like her better than almost any of them. 
Don’t you ? ” 

“ I don’t know.” 

Theodora’s thoughts were still of Susie, 
but Mrs. Campbell went on talking of this 
and that and after a while Theodora grew 
interested in spite of herself. When, a 
little later, they started for their drive, 
Constance in the phaeton with them, she 
was quite cheerful again, and Susie was 
forgotten, for the time at least. 


240 


THEODORA 


The two weeks had come to an end, and 
Theodora and her aunt were back in New 
York once more. The little girl’s face was 
quite round and sunburned, and when her 
father came to the station to meet them, he 
looked at her with fond delight. 

“ How well you look ! ” he said. “ Your 
trip has done you good, but I am glad to 
have you back. The house was like a 
cage without a bird, while you were away.” 

After dinner that evening, Theodora sat 
on the arm of her father’s chair, and told 
him everything about the trip, and they 
laughed together about the fat poodle at the 
hotel, who could understand nothing but 
French, and was named Christophe, and 
about the stupid porter on the Pullman 
car, who whisked his duster by mistake over 
the bald head of a very cross old gentleman. 

Presently Theodora grew serious. 

“ Father, Aunt Eleanore said the Sisters 
have gone,” she said. 

“ Yes, they went almost a week ago.” 

“ I did want to see them again. I 
promised Sister Margaret I would.” 


AT LAKEWOOD 


241 


“ Ah, well, she understood. I told her 
you had gone to Lakewood, and she left 
her good-byes for you ; all the Sisters did. 

“ Yes, but I wanted to see them again ; 
I love Sister Margaret so ; and then — ” 
Theodora hesitated for a moment — “ then 
Susie ; — how can we find her ? You could, 
father, if you tried, and I do want to see 
her.” 

Mr. Winthrop made a movement of quick 
impatience. “ Now, my dear, do not let 
us begin that subject again. I do not 
know where Susie is, nor have I the least 
intention of trying to find her. I had 
hoped there was to be no more talk of it, — 
and that you understood. Kiss me now, 
and go up to Cecile. You must go to bed 
early to-night; I think you are tired.” 

But, father, if you only — ” 

“No more, Theodora, and never speak 
of the subject again. Do you understand ? 
Now kiss me, and go.” 

Theodora kissed him and turned hastily 
away. There were tears in her eyes. He 
would not help her to find Susie; he did 


242 


THEODORA 


not want her to find her. But she would 
look for her herself, whether anyone helped 
her or not. 

But after Cmle had left her that night, 
there came the thought that perhaps — 
perhaps — she would not find Susie, not ever 
again, and then she cried a little all to 
herself before she went to sleep. 


CHAPTER XXX 


THE DAY OF THE PARADE 

T^AY after day passed by, and day after 
day when Theodora took her walk 
she was on the watch for Susie, but she 
never saw her, — not in the streets, where 
the busy throng went up and down, nor 
in the park, where the children played, nor 
down among the shops, where she went 
with her aunt one day ; and at last she grew 
quite discouraged. 

“ Won’t you help me to find her. Aunt 
Eleanore ? ” she asked at last. 

“ I don’t know where she lives, dear.” 

“ But Sister Margaret knows. You could 
write to her and she would tell you.” 

“ I couldn’t write without your father’s 
permission,” said her aunt gently, and after 
that Theodora asked her no more. 

The weather had suddenly turned warm, 
as it sometimes does in early summer, and 
243 


244 


THEODORA 


the little girl felt the heat. She was lonely, 
too, for many of her little friends had already 
left the city, and she wandered about the 
house with a listless air that troubled her 
aunt. 

“ Don’t you think,” said Mrs. Campbell 
to her brother one evening, “ that it would 
be as well, now that it has grown so warm, 
to take Theodora away to the sea-shore ? ” 

Mr. Winthrop looked up. “ Why ? Do 
you think she is not looking well ? ” The 
thought had crossed his own mind lately. 

“ Not as well as she did when she first 
came back from Lakewood; and she is 
spiritless and languid. I think she misses 
the children she had about her at the 
school.” 

Mr. Winthrop was standing by the man- 
tel; he drummed on it impatiently with 
his fingers for a while. Presently he said, 
“ I hope she has given up that foolish 
fancy about that little girl.” 

Mrs. Campbell hesitated. “ I don’t 
know; I rather fancy not.” 

There was a silence. “ I suppose you 


THE DAY OF THE PARADE 245 


might go away this week,” said Mr. Win- 
throp, at length. “ I could not go myself 
just yet, but you and she might and then 
I could join you later on.” 

“ I really think it might be better for us 
to do that,” Mrs. Campbell agreed, “but 
of course it is for you to decide.” 

“ Yes,” said Mr. Winthrop slowly. “ I 
would be glad if you could arrange to go, 
though I must say I am sorry it is necessary 
for her to leave again so soon.” 

So the matter was settled, and the next 
morning her aunt told Theodora about 
it. Theodora did not know whether to be 
pleased or sorry over the news. She had 
begun to feel that she should never see 
Susie again, but still, going to the sea-shore 
would mean giving up the last chance of it. 

One day, when her aunt and Cecile had 
gone down town, she was thinking it all 
over to herself, as she sat in the library. 
She had been reading again “ The Princess 
and the Goblins; ” the book the Sisters 
had given her at the Christmas party so 
long ago. How gay Susie had been that 


246 


THEODORA 


evening, and how pleased with all her 
presents, especially with the muff and 
tippet ! 

The room was very still, so still that the 
ticking of the clock on the mantel began to 
have a strange sound in Theodora’s ears. 
She closed the book and wandered into the 
drawing-room. The windows were open, 
and she leaned idly out with her elbows 
on the sill. There was a sound of music 
up Fifth Avenue, and people were gathered 
in a crowd along the edge of the street. 
A parade must be coming; yes, it was, 
for the music grew louder and louder, and 
presently, Theodora saw the glitter of pass- 
ing bayonets, the caps of soldiers moving in 
rhythmic march, and the gay colors of a 
flag. She remembered how a parade had 
passed the school one day, and how Susie 
had run to call her. Perhaps she was out 
there now, watching this one ; there were a 
number of children there in the crowd. 
Filled with a sudden hope Theodora left 
the window and hurried out into the hall. 
She stopped for a moment to put on a hat 


THE BAY OF THE PARADE 247 


and then, opened the heavy front-door, and 
ran out into the street. 

When she reached Fifth Avenue, she 
stopped to look about her. There were no 
children to be seen now. They all seemed 
to have disappeared. A little further up 
the street a group of people had gathered 
about something that seemed to interest 
them very much. Theodora heard some- 
one say “ a lost child.” She edged her way 
in among the crowds, and peeped under the 
arm of a fat baker’s boy. In the centre of 
the group was a burly policeman, who was 
stooping over a crying child with his hand 
on her shoulder. The child’s face was 
hidden in her arm, but Theodora saw a 
familiar mop of dark hair and a little well- 
known, red hat. ‘‘ Susie ! ” she cried. 

The child raised her head and looked 
around; then she gave an answering cry, 
a cry of joy, and the next moment she had 
broken from the hold of the policeman 
and was clinging to Theodora, and sobbing 
as though her heart would break. It was 
Susie at last ! 


248 


THEODORA 


Theodora closed the heavy front door, and 
she and Susie stood alone in the still, dim 
hall of Mr. Winthrop’s house, looking at 
each other. The gaping crowd, and the 
inquisitive policeman, who would follow 
them home, were shut out in the street, and 
they were safely indoors. Theodora drew 
a deep breath. 

“ C-c-can I stay here ? ” asked Susie 
tremulously. She was still holding tight 
to Theodora’s hand. 

“ Yes, you can stay.” 

“ S-she won’t come here for me, will 
she?” 

“ Who ? ” 

“ My Aunt Jane.” 

“ She won’t know you’re here, so she 
can’t.” 

“ No, she won’t know.” 

There was some little noise over in the 
dining-room and Theodora hastily caught 
Susie by the hand. “ Come upstairs,” 
she whispered, and she led the way up and 
into her sitting-room. 

“ I’ll be awful good, if you’ll let me stay. 


THE DAY OF THE PARADE 249 


Theodora,” Susie promised. ‘‘ I d-don’t 
want to go back to her. She’ll shut me 
up in a black hole ; she s-said she would/’ 

“ No, she sha’n’t,” cried Theodora. “ She 
sha’n’t come here. It’s my father’s house, 
and — ” She paused suddenly. Her father ! 
he had said that Susie should not come 
there. What would he say when he found 
that Theodora had brought her, after all.?^ 

Susie watched her anxiously. “ W-what’s 
the matter ? ” 

“ S-sh ! ” said Theodora. “ You mustn’t 
make a noise.” 

“ Is she coming ? ” Theodora did not 
answer; she was thinking. “ Is she com- 
ing.?” 

“ No, she isn’t coming.” The best thing 
to do was to hide Susie until she had 
had a chance to talk to her father about it. 
If anyone found Susie now, she would be 
sent home. But where could she be hidden ? 
Not here, nor in the rose room, nor yet in 
the toy room; Mrs. Campbell or Cecile 
would be sure to find her in any of those 
places. But there was the floor above 


250 


THEODORA 


where nobody ever went, except the maids. 
There might be some place to hide her 
there. She caught Susie by the hand again 
with sudden resolution. 

“ Come,” she said. 

“ Wh-where, Theodora ? ” 

“ Upstairs.” 

Tiptoeing softly, she led the way to the 
upper story. She was not very familiar 
with it up there, but there was a room, 
where trunks and boxes were kept, and 
which was seldom visited. It was lighted 
only by a small sky-light. Theodora cau- 
tiously opened the door and peeped in. 
Then she drew Susie inside and closed 
the door behind them. 

“ There ! ” she said. ‘‘ They won’t think 
of looking here.” 

Susie’s lip trembled. “ My Aunt Jane’s 
awful bad to me,” she said. “ She says if 
I ain’t good she’ll give me to the policeman, 
and I tried to be a good girl. I t-tried 
but — ” 

“ S-sh ! ” said Theodora sharply. Some- 
one was coming down the halt. Susie’s 


THE DAY OF THE PARADE 251 


eyes grew big with terror, but whoever it 
was went on past without opening the door ; 
it must have been one of the maids. Theo- 
dora drew a deep breath. ‘‘ She’s gone,” 
she said. Then she looked about her. 
Some heavy curtains were piled on top 
of a box, and Theodora pulled them down 
and made a sort of seat of them. 

She was about to sit down, when the 
thought of her Aunt Eleanore came into 
her mind. She would be coming home 
soon, and would wonder where she was. 
It would never do to have her aunt begin 
to search for her. She turned to Susie. 

“ If I go down-stairs for a while will 
you keep very, very still ? ” she asked. 
“ Because nobody must know you are here. 
You can sit there on the curtains, and I’ll 
come back soon.” 

Susie caught her by the sleeve. ‘‘ I don’t 
want you to go, Theodora,” she cried. 

“ But I’ll have to, you see, or they may 
come to look for me; but I’ll come up 
again.” 

“ How soon ? ” 


252 


THEODORA 


“ Just as soon as ever I can. You won’t 
make a noise, will you ? ” 

“ No, I won’t.” 

Theodora tiptoed to the door and opened 
it, but suddenly Susie’s heart failed her. 
Theodora ! ” she cried in a loud whisper. 
Theodora quickly closed the door. “ Sh ! 
what do you want ? ” 

“ Y-you’ll come back again for sure ? ” 

“ Yes, I will ; truly, truly I will, just 
as soon as ever I can.” 

“ Will you come before it’s dark ? ” 

“ I will if I can, but you mustn’t be 
afraid because I’ll surely come; and you 
mustn’t cry, will you ? Somebody might 
hear you.” 

“No, I won’t.” Susie promised tremu- 
lously. 

Then Theodora went on out, closing the 
door softly behind her. 


CHAPTER XXXI 


IN THE TRUNK -ROOM 


FTER Theodora had gone Susie 



nestled down among the curtains 
and kept very still. Something up above 
the sky-light creaked every now and then, 
and a far-off whistle blew faintly. After 
a time she began to look about her. On 
the trunk next to her were pasted big labels 
with the names of hotels and foreign cities. 
She ran her finger over them and tried to 
spell out the names. Then she listened 
again. She had thought Theodora would 
come back sooner than this. She rose 
and tiptoed cautiously to the door, but 
some sound outside made her hurry back 
and crouch down among the curtains again. 

Time slipped by, and the afternoon light 
began to wane; shadows gathered in the 
corners and back of the trunks. Could 
Theodora have forgotten her? 


253 


254 


THEODORA 


Then there was a noise at the door, and 
Susie’s heart gave a leap. The knob 
turned and Theodora slipped in and 
quickly closed the door behind her. She 
was dressed in a little white lace frock 
now and her hair was tied with a white 
bow but in spite of her gay dress, her face 
had an anxious look. 

“ Susie,” she whispered hurriedly, “ I 
have to go down to dinner now, but I’ll 
come back again. I couldn’t come sooner.” 

Susie’s breath caught in a sob. “ I 
want some dinner, too,” she said. 

‘‘ Oh, Susie ! ” Theodora had not thought 
of that. After a moment she said, “ Well, 
I’ll bring you something to eat, but you’ll 
have to be quiet until I come. Will 
you ? ” 

“ Yes, I will,” Susie promised tremu- 
lously, “ but I wish I could go with you.” 

“ Oh, Susie ! You couldn’t. I don’t know 
what my father would say. But I’ll come 
back again; I’ll come just as soon as ever 
I can.” 

And then in another moment Theodora 


IN THE TRUNK -ROOM 


255 


had slipped away and Susie was alone once 
more. 

At dinner that evening Mr. Winthrop 
watched his little daughter anxiously. She 
seemed nervous and excited, and ate hardly 
anything. Once, when he spoke to her 
suddenly, she started so that she almost up- 
set her glass of milk, and her hand shook as 
she raised the goblet to her lips. She was 
wondering how she was to get anything 
upstairs to Susie. When she had promised 
Susie to bring her something to eat she had 
not thought how hard it would be to manage 
it. She slipped a piece of bread under her 
plate, but when Robert cleared off the 
crumbs he carried the bread away, too. 

At dessert, when the cakes were handed 
to her, she took several and laid them 
together beside her finger-bowl. When 
she looked up she saw that her father was 
watching her. 

“You are not going to eat all those 
cakes, are you, my dear ? ” he said. 

“ Mayn’t I take them upstairs with me ? ” 
she asked timidly. 


256 


THEODORA 


Her father hesitated ; it seemed unlike 
Theodora to think of such a thing. “ I 
suppose so, though I should not like you 
to make a practice of doing it.” 

It was with a guilty feeling that Theodora 
heaped them in her hand after dinner, one 
on top of the other, and carried them 
away from the table with her. 

Coffee was served in the library as usual, 
and she went there with her father and 
her aunt Eleanore. As they entered the 
room she looked at the clock and saw that 
it was already a quarter to eight. She 
longed to steal away upstairs to the trunk- 
room with the cakes, but she did not dare 
to do it yet. 

She wondered what Susie was doing. 
Suppose she should grow afraid and come 
down to look for her. Mrs. Campbell 
dropped her spoon and Theodora started 
violently. 

Mr. Winthrop looked concerned. He sat 
down and drew her to him. “ Day after 
to-morrow you and your aunt Eleanore 
will go to the sea-shore,” he said. “ While 


IN THE TRUNK -ROOM 


257 


you are down there, I want you to be 
out in the open air all the time, and grow 
brown and rosy.” 

The sea-shore ! Theodora had forgotten 
all about that. What could she do with 
Susie while she was away ? She looked up 
at her father yearningly. If only she 
dared to tell him. He was still talking 
of the sea-shore, but her thoughts wan- 
dered. She had promised to come back 
to the trunk-room before dark, if she 
could, but it was already long after that. 
The clock on the mantel struck eight with 
its soft, cathedral tones. At the first sound 
she jumped up and ran hurriedly to the 
door. 

Her father looked after her astonished and 
hurt. “ Aren’t you going to kiss me good- 
night ? ” he asked. 

She had forgotten everything but Susie; 
now she came back and he drew her to him 
and kissed her. “ Good-night, my little 
daughter. Sleep well ! ” He looked at her 
with eyes so kind and loving that for a 
moment she hesitated. Might she not dare 


258 


THEODORA 


to tell him, after all ? But she turned away ; 
no, if he knew what she had done he would 
not look at her so fondly; he would be 
cold and displeased, and Susie would be 
sent away; Theodora knew she would. 

She went over and kissed her aunt Elea- 
nore too, and then hurried away up- 
stairs. 

It did not take her long to get ready for 
bed that evening. C&ile could not under- 
stand her impatient eagerness. As soon as 
she could she slipped in between the covers 
and drew them up under her chin. 

“ Bonne nuit, C&ile,” she said. 

“ Bonne nuit, mademoiselle'^ 

Theodora watched with wide dark eyes 
as Cecile moved softly about the room 
setting everything in order for the night. 
It seemed as though she would never have 
done. Theodora was in a nervous fever 
of impatience. But all was finished finally. 
Cecile gave one last glance around, and then, 
lowering the light, softly left the room. 

Theodora waited for a moment or two, 
then she sat up in bed and listened. All 


IN THE TRUNK -ROOM 


259 


was still. Slipping to the floor she hurried 
over to the dressing-table where she had 
left the cakes, gathered them together and 
stole out of the room and up the stairs. 

It was very dark and still when she 
opened the door of the store-room; the 
sky-light was only a patch of grayness 
overhead. “ Susie,” she whispered peering 
in. There was no answer. “ Susie! ” 

There was a little stir; then a small 
voice spoke tremulously out of the darkness. 
“ Wh-what.^^” 

“ It’s I, Susie, Theodora. Where are 
you ? ” 

“ Over here.” 

Theodora’s eyes were growing used to 
the darkness now, and she could dimly 
make out the shapes of things. She tip- 
toed over to where Susie was. 

“ I’ve brought you some cakes,” she 
whispered. 

“ I d-d-didn’t cry,” declared Susie 
bravely, and the next moment she was 
sobbing as though her heart would break. 

“ S-s-sh ! ” whispered Theodora in alarm. 


260 


THEODORA 


dropping down among the curtains beside 
her. “Don’t cry; someone will hear.” 

“ I was sc-sc-scared,” gasped Susie, 
through her sobs. “ I was awful scared. 
Something kept squeaking, and you d-d- 
didn’t come and it was awful dark. Oh ! 
oh! oh!” 

“ Well, I’m here now. Here ! here are 
the cakes ; ” she put them into Susie’s 
hand. “ One has pink icing on it.” 

Susie was very hungry, and she stopped 
crying to eat them. 

“ Do you like them ? ” asked Theodora 
presently. 

“ Yes, they’re awful good little cakes.” 
Susie paused for a moment to ask, “ Don’t 
you want one ? ” 

“ No, I’ve had all I want.” 

Susie finished them in contented silence, 
though now and then her breath still caught 
in a sob. After the last crumb was eaten 
she snuggled up to Theodora. “You won’t 
go away, will you ? ” she pleaded. 

“ No.” 

“ Not any more ? Not all night ? ” 


IN THE TRUNK -ROOM 


261 


Theodora hesitated, and Susie clutched her 
with a sudden fear. “ You w-won’t, will 
you ? ’Cause I don’t want to stay up here 
by myself.” 

“ No, I’ll stay now.” 

“ But all night, till it gets light ? ” 

“Yes, all night.” 

Susie’s grasp relaxed, and she gave a 
sigh of relief. There was a silence; then 
she said softly, “ It’s awful dark up here, 
ain’t it ? ” 

“ Yes, it is dark.” 

“ Are you scared of the dark ? ” 

“ Not much, ” said Theodora, trying very 
hard not to be. 

Presently Susie spoke again in a whisper. 
“ My aunt don’t know where I am now, 
does she Theodora ? ” 

“ No.” 

“ She couldn’t find me here, could she ? ” 
“ No, she couldn’t.” 

Again there was silence. Theodora’s 
eyes blinked heavily ; Susie had sunk into a 
doze, but suddenly she awakened with a vio- 
lent start. “ Th-Th-Theodora ! ” she gasped. 


262 


THEODORA 


“ Hush ! ” said Theodora, startled. 
“ What is it ? ” 

“ Oh, I thought you had gone.” 

“ No, I’m here. Go to sleep, Susie.” 

Again silence. Once Susie muttered in a 
drowsy tone, ‘‘ Theodora ! ” and Theodora 
answered with a sleepy murmur ; then all was 
still. The tin of the skylight still creaked 
now and then, and the moon sailed slowly 
up the sky until at last it shone into the 
trunk-room, but Susie and Theodora did 
not see it. They lay there nestled together 
in among the curtains, both of them fast 
asleep. 


CHAPTER XXXII 
there’s always a way 
HEN Mrs. Campbell came upstairs 



^ * that evening, she stopped in at Theo- 
dora’s room as usual to see how the little 
girl was sleeping. With a half smile she 
went softly to the bed and stooped above it. 
Suddenly the smile faded from her face ; she 
passed her hand hastily over the covers, 
and then turned and cast a glance about 
the room. “ Theodora ! ” she cried. 
There was no answer. She went to the next 
room and looked in. No one was there. 
Then she rang the bell, and a moment 
after C&ile appeared at the door. 

“ Where is Miss Theodora ? ” demanded 
Mrs. Campbell. 

“ Mademoiselle Theodora ! ” C&ile 
looked bewildered. “ But — is she not in 
bed ? ” 

“ No, and I cannot find her.” 


263 


264 


THEODORA 


“ Cannot find her ! But she was there, 
madame. She was in bed when I left the 
room.” 

“ She is not there now.” 

They made another search, this time 
more thoroughly, but with no better success, 

“ Go down to the library and ask Mr. 
Winthrop to come up here,” said Mrs. 
Campbell in a troubled voice. She could 
not understand it. What had happened 
and where could the child have gone ? 
The moment Mr. Winthrop appeared at the 
door, she broke out anxiously. “ We can- 
not find Theodora.” 

“ Cannot find Theodora ! What do you 
mean ? Where is she ? ” 

“ That is what we do not know. We have 
been looking for her. Cecile left her in 
bed but she was not there when I came up.” 

Mr. Winthrop glanced about the room. 
“ Theodora ! ” he cried loudly and impera- 
tively. There was no answer. “ Theodora ! ” 
He turned to Mrs. Campbell. “ But this 
is absurd. She must be here. Have you 
looked in the other rooms ? ” 


THERE^S ALWAYS A WAY 265 


“ Not in all of them.” 

They now went through every room on 
that floor, but the child was not to be found. 

“ Call Goodwin,” said Mr. Winthrop, 
thoroughly alarmed. “ The house must 
be searched ; — searched thoroughly. Per- 
haps — ” he hesitated ; ‘‘ perhaps the police 
should be notified. But she must be here; 
she must” 

Goodwin was called, the household 
aroused and lights turned on in all the 
rooms. Mr. Winthrop’s mind was filled 
with fears he was afraid to put into words, 
even to himself. The child had seemed so 
nervous and unlike herself all evening, 
what if she had wandered off in her sleep ! 

“ I had better notify the police,” he said 
to himself. 

He had gone to the telephone, and was 
just about to take down the receiver when 
there was a call from upstairs. “ Mr. 
Winthrop ! ” It was Goodwin’s voice. 

She was leaning over the banisters of the 
floor above. “ She’s here ; thank the Lord ! 
She’s here.” 


266 


THEODORA 


Mr. Winthrop ran up the stairs. 
“ Where ? ” he demanded. 

Goodwin, her eyes full of tears, pointed 
to the door of the trunk-room, and Mr. 
Winthrop pushed it open and went in. The 
room was now full of the moonlight which 
shone in through the sky-light overhead, 
and there, nestled among the curtains fast 
asleep, lay Susie and Theodora. 

Mr. Winthrop stooped over and gathered 
his little daughter into his arms. “ My 
little girl ! ” he said. 

Theodora opened her eyes sleepily and 
looked up in his face. She smiled and put 
her arms around him. Then suddenly she 
started and pushed him from her. 

“ Where’s Susie ? ” she demanded. 
“Where — ” She looked around. Susie lay 
there still sleeping. “ Oh father, it’s Susie,” 
cried Theodora. “ You’ll let her stay now, 
won’t you.^ Please, please — because I 
love her so.” 

“ But why are you here ? ” said Mr. 
Winthrop. “ Oh, my darling, you have 
frightened us so.” 



“Nestled among the cuktains, fast asleep, lay Susie 

AND Theodora.” Paye 206. 




,4 


4 'r'^-uy, -^..T*:, *r^:r- 

y y ji V .’ i#t/ ■> 4 '• 

fe>»\g,tyfii; . • ^ 

'"4 



i 



‘^1 ■ ‘ ^9 * 

-■y '*4 - if ’ •, •'* ‘ t4 

" 1 'V. : ..' JVf 

?•; vaariaii'". '■ • ,.■,- 




THERE'S ALWAYS A WAY 267 


‘‘ Susie was looking for me and I brought 
her up here. I was afraid to tell you, 
but you won’t be angry, will you ? She may 
stay, mayn’t she ? ” 

“ We won’t talk of that now, my child.” 

Susie sighed and turned, but still slept 
on with the heavy sleep of childhood. 

“ Oh, please, please father ; please say yes. 
She canH go now.” Theodora gave a sob. 

“ We shall have to see about it.” 

“ But promise, promise father ! I can’t 
bear it if she goes. Oh, father ! ” 

My child, don’t be so wild ; she will 
have to stay for the night now.” 

“ But for always. Promise, father, — 
promise ! ” 

Mr. Winthrop was alarmed at Theodora’s 
excitement. He hesitated. 

‘‘ Father, promise ! ” 

“ For a time then, if we can manage it,” 
he said at last. 

Theodora clasped her arms about his 
neck with a deep sigh of relief. “Oh, 
father, I knew you would say yes,” she said. 


CHAPTER XXXIII 


HOLIDAYS TOGETHER 

OUSIE sat up in bed and stared about 
^ her in dazed wonder. It was morn- 
ing and a shaft of golden sunlight shone in 
between long curtains drawn across the 
windows. This was not the trunk-room 
where she had gone to sleep the night 
before. It was not her aunt’s house either. 
Where could she be ? The long mirror, 
the pictures on the wall, the dressing-table, 
all were strange to her. Anxiously her 
gaze wandered from one unfamiliar thing 
to another. Then it fell upon a little pink 
silk dressing-gown on a chair beside the 
bed. She leaned forward to look at it. 
That at least she knew. It was Theodora’s 
dressing-gown, the one she had worn at 
the Sisters’ ; and those little soft slippers 
with the rosettes, those were hers too. 
Then the next moment the door into the 


HOLIDAYS TOGETHER 


269 


adjoining room was pushed open, and there 
stood Theodora herself in her night-gown 
and with the sleep still in her eyes. 

Susie gave a joyous cry. “ Theodora ! ” 
“ Oh, Susie ! ” Theodora ran over to the 
bed. “ You’re to live here now. Aren’t you 
glad you can stay ? Isn’t it lovely ? ” 

“ Can I really and truly ? Did your 
father say I could, Theodora } Did he ? ” 
“ Yes, last night when you were asleep 
he said you might. Why here’s my pink 
dressing-gown, and my slippers. I sup- 
pose they’re for you to wear. 

“ Ain’t I going to wear a dress ? ” asked 
Susie rather anxiously. 

“ Oh, yes, I mean for you to put on when 
you first get up, the way I do; because 
yours aren’t here.” 

It all seemed very wonderful to Susie 
for she had almost forgotten the lovely ways 
at the Sisters’ since she had been with her 
aunt. When, a little later, she was dressed 
for breakfast, the frock Cecile put on her 
was a dainty little blue one that had been 
Theodora’s, and her hair was tied with 


270 


THEODORA 


broad blue ribbons that were Theodora’s 
too. All the unhappiness of her life for 
the past few months seemed laid away 
with the little soiled dress which had been 
taken off while she was asleep the night 
before. 

And Mrs. Campbell was so sweet and 
gentle with her. She breakfasted with 
the children, and very soon she was “ Aunt 
Eleanore ” to Susie too, for that was what 
Theodora called her, and whatever Theo- 
dora did was right. 

Still every now and then, all through the 
day, a thought of her aunt came over Susie 
like a shadow. 

“ ’Spose she comes here and finds me, 
Theodora ? ” she said; “ ’spose she does ?” 

“ But she won’t,” Theodora answered 
bravely. “ And if she does she sha’n’t 
have you. You needn’t be afraid, for my 
father said you could stay and you can.” 

But Susie’s aunt did not come for her 
that day, nor indeed ever. The children 
never knew how it was arranged; it all 
came about like a happy fairy-tale, for Susie 


HOLIDAYS TOGETHER 


271 


never went back to live with Mrs. Zeigler 
again. And when the next morning Mrs. 
Campbell and Theodora started for the 
sea-shore a very happy little Susie in a new 
hat and a pink frock went with them. 

In the days that followed Susie’s cheeks, 
which had grown rather thin and pale in 
the last few months filled out again into 
rosy roundness, and a new look of content- 
ment came into Theodora’s eyes. All day 
the two little girls played on the sands to- 
gether or drove up and down the beach in a 
pony cart, and when Mr. Winthrop came 
down to join them later on he hardly rec- 
ognized in the happy, sunburned little girl 
who met him at the station, his own and 
Susie’s beloved Theodora. 


THE END. 


i 


'i 


1 






\ 




« 



’ ^ 






/ 



< 


I 


A 







I 


» 


I 


I 






« 


tl 









1 


\ 



\ 




t 


\ . 


^ . <». 


r I 


vs ■ 


’ •; •' 






I . 






r ^ 


j 

• • , 




4 


. •# 


> 


/ 


k 




✓ 


I 



i 




« 






Books by Katharine Pyle 


THE CHRISTMAS ANGEL 

With 6 full-page plates and 14 
decorative headings^ etc., by 
the Author. 12mo. |1.25. 

A CHARMING story of Kris 
Kringle and the Wonder Coun- 
ty where all the toys are alive. A 
little girl finds a door in a tree, and 
opening it with a tiny key, discovers 
that it leads to “Toy land." In this 
“Wonder-Country” she has many 
adventures. 

A really delightful Christmas 
book, teeming with marvellous ad- 
ventures . — The Outlook. 

AS THE GOOSE FLIES 

Fully Illustrated by the Author. 12mo. $1.25, 

A pretty fairy story of a little g^rl who, on the back of a great 
white gander, visits Mother Goose land and fairy land and 
talks and plays with all her favorites there . — Public Opinion. 

IN THE GREEN FOREST 

Fully Illustrated by the Author. Small 4to. $1.50. 

The book is full of pretty, delicate fancies, pleasingly told, 
with the right spirit of fairy magic and mystery . — Phiiadelphia 
Telegraph. 



NANCY RUTLEDGE 

With 6 full-page illustrations by the Author. 12mo. 
$1.25. 

Nancy is a dear little maid, and the story of how she moved 
to town and all the things she did there is told with charm- 
ing simplicity. — Chicago Record- Herald. 


Little, Brown, & Co., Publishers 

254 Washington Street, Boston 


Susan Coolidge’s Story Books 


STORIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. Fully Illus- 
trated. 12 vols. i2mo. Uniformly bound, in box, $15.00. 
Separately, $1.25 each, as follows : 

1. THE NEW YEAR’S BARGAIN. A Christmas Story for 

Children. 

2. MISCHIEF’S THANKSGIVING, and Other Stories. 

3. NINE LITTLE GOSLINGS. 

4. EYEBRIGHT. A Story. 

5. CROSS PATCH, and Other Stories. Adapted from the Myths 

of Mother Goose. 

6. A ROUND DOZEN. 

7. A LITTLE COUNTRY GIRL. 

8. JUST SIXTEEN. 

9. A GUERNSEY LILY; or, How the Feud was Healed. A 

Story of the Channel Islands. 

10. THE BARBERRY BUSH, and Eight Other Stories about 

Girls for Girls. 

11. NOT QUITE EIGHTEEN. 

12. A SHEAF OF STORIES. 

Not even Miss Alcott apprehends child nature vrith finer sympathy, or pictures its nobler 
traits with more skill. — Boston Daily A dvertistr. 

THE KATY DID SERIES. Illustrated. 5 vols. i2mo. 
Uniformly bound, in box, $6.25. Separately, $1.25 each, as 
follows : 

1. WHAT KATY DID. A Story. 

2. WHAT KATY DID AT SCHOOL. Being more about ** What 

Katy Did.”. 

3. WHAT KATY DID NEXT. 

4. CLOVER. 

5. IN THE HIGH VALLEY. 



LITTLE, BROWN, ©“ COMPANY 

Pttilithers, 254 WASHINGTON STREET, BOSTON, MASS. 


Miss A. G. Plympton’s Stories 


DEAR DAUGHTER DOROTHY. With seven illustrations by 
the author. Small 4to, Jj^i.oo. 

The winsome little maid, with her loyalty and love, attracts our hearts as Little Lord 
Fauntleroy has done, and reveals the divine element in childhood. — Christian Union. 

DOROTHY AND ANTON. A Sequel to “ Dear Daughter Dor- 
othy.” With illustrations by the author. Small 4to, ^i-oo. 

BETTY, A BUTTERFLY. Illustrated by the author. SmaU 
4to, $1.00. 

THE LITTLE SISTER OF WILIFRED. Illustrated by the 
author. Small 4to, $i.oo. 

ROBIN’S RECRUIT. Illustrated by the author. Small 4to, $i.oo. 

PENELOPE PRIG, and Other Stories. Illustrated by the author. 
Small 4to, $i.oo. 

THE BLACK DOG, and Other Stories. With illustrations by the 
author. i6mo, $1.25. 

WANOLASSET. (The-Little-One-Who-Laughs.) Illustrated by 
the author. Small 4to, $1.25. 

The story, although intended for the young, is so good a picture of early New England 
days that their elders can read it with interest and profit. — Public Opinion. 

RAGS AND VELVET GOWNS. Illustrated by the author. 
i2mo, 50 cents. 

An idyllic word picture, prettily illustrated by the author. — Saturday Evening Gazette. 

A BUD OF PROMISE. A Story for Ambitious Parents. i6mo, 
50 cents. 

A WILLING TRANSGRESSOR, and Other Stories. i6mo, 
$1.25. 

A FLOWER OF THE WILDERNESS. With illustrations by 
the author. i2mo, $1.25. 

A CHILD OF GLEE. Illustrated. i2mo, $1.50. < 

THE SCHOOLHOUSE IN THE WOODS. Illustrated. i2mo, 
$1.50. 

OLD HOME DAY AT HAZELTOWN. Illustrated by Clara 
E. Atwood. i2mo, $1.25. 


LITTLE, BROWN, COMPANY 

Publishers, 25+ WASHINGTON STREET, BOSTON, MASS. 


New Illustrated Editions of 
Miss Alcott’s Famous Stories 


THE LITTLE WOMEN SERIES 

By Louisa M. Alcott. Illustrated Edition. With eighty-four 
full-page plates from drawings especially made for this edition by 
Reginald B. Birch, Alice Barber Stephens, Jessie Willcox Smith, 
and Harriet Roosevelt Richards. 8vols. Crown 8vo. Decorated 
cloth, gilt, in box, $16.00. 

Separately as follows: 

1. LITTLE MEN ; Life at Plumfield with Jo’s Boys 

With 15 full-page illustrations by Reginald B. Birch, $2.00. 

2. LITTLE WOMEN : or Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy 

With 15 full-page illustrations by Alice Barber Stephens. $2.00. 

3. AN OLD-FASHIONED GIRL 

With 12 full-page pictures by Jessie Willcox Smith. $2.00. 

4. JO’S BOYS, and How They Turned Out 

A Sequel to “ Little Men.” With 10 full-page plates by Ellen Wetherald 
Ahrens. $2.00. 

5. EIGHT COUSINS ; or, the Aunt-Hill 

With 8 full-page pictures by Harriet Roosevelt Richards. 

6. ROSE IN BLOOM 

A Sequel to “Eight Cousins.” With 8 full-page pictures by Harriet 
Roosevelt Richards. $2.00. 

7. UNDER THE LILACS 

With 8 original full-page pictures by Alice Barber Stephens. $2.00. j 

8. JACK AND JILL 

With 8 full-page pictures from drawings by Harriet Roosevelt Richards. 
$2.00. 

The artists selected to illustrate have caught the spirit of the originals and contributed a 
series of strikingly beautiful and faithful pictures of the author’s characters and scenes. — 
Boston Herald. 

Alice Barber Stephens, who is very near the head of American illustrators, has shown 
wonderful ability in delineating the characters and costumes for “Little Women.” They are 
almost startlingly realistic. — Worcester Spy. 

Miss Alcott’s books have never before had such an attractive typographical dress as the 
present. They are printed in large type on heavy paper, artistically bound, and illustrated 
with many full-page drawings. — Philadelphia Press. 


LITTLE, BROWN, ^ COMPANY 

Puhlishin, 254 WASHINGTON STREET, BOSTON, MASS. 


< 

' I 


‘ ^ 


, / 1 . 
k J • 




I I 


V , 


'.!V. * 

iSTW';*: ■'•‘v ;''» '■»' 0 ( 




,'■ l) 

' ' (» • c(iH’ ' ■ ', '■' • '. I (.^^’ •, /V'' ‘i*fi /'rV 

" :; 1';. /v''v;?>,V 

’ ■ ’ .' ,. ) ' ; I r , ,i,‘ 


1 I 


% '. 

'•, ■' I 


• ' ^ 


I 


I 

' 'i 





I . I 

■ . I 


-i'.:"''- ■'': k':v' 'v' ^rlAf-TO 




> \ ■ 


ii ';’ '( '■ - 1 » ' i* ' * U.J. , 

V > aiVJJ 


I '.It . 


I'. , t , 


' 'i/kM 

■*y. 




'f I 




' ' “ 7 : LmVi^ 

■ v'; •■'/vJ.'*' 

:.' * '-/'.'V' ]' ' yv' 

*,/,'■■'■ V Vv •- ' , . 


"-f 


/ ' 


.'' > 


,"(' ' ' 'i’ll ', vl 

1 ', ’ r ,'■' V t I 

'' ' *’ I ■ <>' ‘ ■'. . '4 , "v! 
•v >■ , .;/M 1 

: ■ ,.' " "VJv ^ 


’• ' ■■ u 


■ • - \ V'l 1 

'■ •’ ^ I ".Vi:)' 




' 4 :4:' 




' l[ ' i' v' • 

J'V • • ■ H' 


V' ''I'-n « ..• 


n ■ 


. c ■ I 7 'I'j'** 


yAyfy 


K' 




't. 


\'' < ' ' V ■ ‘'''‘ u’^ *'■ ftrvA 


. ‘ k' 

'V. i 


; ' '. ■ * vy'<' 

4 :. ' '’'V f-il fM 

’ V' 'j T' xvi* 
. It . ' V‘. sw 

'"’ 4 ".V ■ 1 ''' ^ 

?• V ‘.'I 'Vi*'kwW 


l» k ' 


I , 


( ' - 1 


‘ ' / 

I ' 




■ ■ );• 

"''■'WV; 
‘,v'' 




• ' I 


4’ yyy^MMM 

:> .444V, 

■..4;.: V :'4: :4 

4 : '' ' v 4 :A y;« 

'4 ::;Vv4 , 

^ ' 4^.7'4 


( 


*, '.' t 

J '.' 


I 


4 " '/ ' 4/.' |''0<‘V'VW«' 

Ii 

4 v:v:'.: 7 :V:,'^Vi|!yvv. 

444 ' 4-444:4 


■• , ' 1^' ' '4, I. ^v, , ,•■ I 4.', r, ''Vk^: A-^v,! 

* A, 4 ^.' A.v •''.■> • j k;.^ ,t ' , 'Ciw, 

‘ A v4' '■■:■;'• 4'v V-: ■ 

• - ' ' f ■. , * . < I ' k I > I • 


J , . •• , 


I 




’4 > 


',■ .k 


I' « (I *i,irl |l 1 *|I * 1 * 

'm; .,4;. -'p'.i 4 '•':V-.y.A'4'V'’4L^' 

,v.' '::4i4':4..,A ;.4‘At4A4|^ 


fr;>v 


7,|§ 


' 4:.v/,4;:,:k'' 44^:'. ;kv 

/'•■* '“' v • ■,■ \' ''’ 4 k/s . ,'r-\.kA .4 V 


V 4 4. 


' . ' 


1 k' 


71 


' * 


\ k 1 


1 1 


1 f ^ 

t. • ' ii» '’ 


M 


; :■> "■ivVi'-okVIj 

''» i '' y '’ A"‘V« '‘’t I * -ki.iMi 4(vj' 
I )vv., ) , k » ,,, k, v,,,ir',..'A[! I’k’V’.ltii 

’ ' • M '■* !■•. 


' 4:':'v4444444';^;ViMM 
'444444-: :v 4^1/, 

^ ‘I k^' I I ’ l.l ( nAvViVVy 


rfnVv,'.' : ' V- : ,' r" ' 

'^nS i ■'’ I- 4 r ■' ' r, 


,V” 


-A 


■ ■' iki ’’iSM, l"■'’'l -I' ‘i j'l" 


I f I , * ' * 

' . *' ' ■ »l 'A' 


't > ■ 


K ■ .VlAAj'vIlvrl'v 






. . ' ' ' L I. - . . • * ^ l 1 . • \ ' . I ' « . k. , . ; ‘1 *, J . , < I ^ ' .' fcl* » ki' / •« rf 


'll •». . ‘ ^ 4 I ' • » ‘ 'll* 

. ^ ^ ^ ' 1 'i I • ( ‘ ■ • ' ! ' 1 < 


$ J 

'*■ 

. ■, v ; • • ' 

* * ' • 4 t. 

k • . 1 

* -k. 


■ 

' $ • 

% v'.t' 

' u ' . <1 

‘ ' ' , i’’.' '‘' : ■ 

■ , -'v. 1 

K ; 'Tl ;' 

' » ‘ 

i. ■< ' 

. % 

< X •.) . ' 

•, ‘' k . •'■. .•; 

4 • ./ , ^ 

4 ’ ■ ■ ■ < ■ 

' ' ■ " 

'■\. 

. r 

1 t • 

. ‘ > i 

i'' , . 

• !.■ 

1 » 

1 " . 

■ 1 ■■ '■ ' 

« t 

1 ♦ 

, 1 s 


< / 


K < 


!,i'V ' , , ' ' 


,j I" 


• • ' 1 "■ ' > ‘i<’ aA ^ 

'mm 


,yV.I 




x^i 


>1 


II ’' '. 


V -I, '.^1 




' t . 


I I 




1 ' 


I , 


: I 


V V, 


' I- 








VrV' 
•|V ,, 


, J * • • / I ;■••■. 

■v'V , A' • "'■■■■; ■' 

I . ' . ' I 

. ! I ’ . ‘ • 

I. ’ ,• ' I ,, I . 


I y 


\ I 


' ■ I 


,, X^'X- i' "■■'X- ■ 


k t 


/ 1 


■I'jV ■' ■. /'v 

• ■ f". • ■ u-x ■ 


. r/i . 


r 


^ '. .' r f. '* ' ■' rt ■' . I ; ' ' ' 

<>.);■ i: .XX:'"’ '"X ;• .X:. ' ■ 

•/4 ' I ii . 1^ k ^ ^ ^ I. ‘ . ' ' ' j j L J ♦ I , < ?! - 


TVv''V;Vi ,'• ; ':■ ;■ - XX 


mM 

^ "M 

:'k'k 


:-;k. 




x; ■' !• I'-L 

:)-k- ! 


L< 


t''./ 


1 » ? 


VvW 






• 

r|/ i' 


.1 




W 




4 




«r'' 


V-, 


\irv 




■» 






















w • 

r ^ 


^ 4 

^Vy - 

-4 -^W :- 

■ 1^-' 

• : 

. / .< V . 

' '.'^ •* 


V • 


‘ i m • *^^«*^**» *^J>| 




► V 




i: 


- $ 


■ 5 -' Vv^-s •" 

■r-- 4 m?m* 


* *'»-'• 1 ., ^* *v%r 


~^A' 




< *• 


* c 
l« 


^ > 

» 

« 

i 




A' 




-• <. /v'- ^ • •, - 

*• V . * f 


» ^ 



t-.* 


^ ^ I * 


' ^ ‘*-’ ' r "'V-’ '*.'-»•* ' ■* ' i* * 


rvc*®!?:- ^ 



>. • • h >'^ .'i •' • '’ ■> J 

^ ;v ■ ^*' X)-^' ' *' 

.. ' ^ •r'. ,*>*,< •, «• 

:'P':t:Qiik 

fpL Lr • ■ V ' • * . • • 



• ^ 


D - ;. . •. 'N-x ■ : * 

'■ ' V* 1 'V* ' ‘ '?i’3tiiri'i %' i - 

‘ ;>■:■■ ’1 

'a 


• w> 




V-'-' '• . ■ 






'•.* :. 1/ *■' ' *:• • • ■•'>'• 

. AS x-^:\: •* '‘VJ 


; - ? * 
■fSL’ 






^ . 

, I 


'•- > 


■ ' t- 


'-' y-r, ’ .w^aaia.. t-' iT- 











L ‘S.ii.^.v' ?'r^.- ' 'fc.-tj.. -'-.f ;' ' '-.' . ■ ;'r4».''s '■ ■ ' '' Ji-j'ffi.'-i.-,*. . . V..'-'l '..■ ■ >:i,fe’V 










- vv<. i^Tv/ ■ , 

f V ^ . t.* ’ * • ‘ . , - .• -• • ^ . •* i 

illir' - .- %r’ *■’ V- ' ' ■ 

.. . "^ J1 ■ ^§e -' ^.* ■ - *7 ■ - <«» . ■ ' . . . . • ■ *. . y 


4 

s ■ > 


-^.• 


V*? 






■" -■ V.-; V t/- ' ,.' ■■ ', ■.■.>.C/,- 'i'" 

• ‘ VI ■•-'>-*-* • .» 

. •.•■-r v.i .--. '• ■- ^ 



A-- 

m A « 1 

* 1<% \\ A 

4 

/ 

♦ # ^ 

. V 

" '4 / 

r , 

v: 

o.-.;' .• 




- 1 - 







.. • » . 



. \ 


»> ‘j m ' ■ •' ■ •; 


'A: 


'5\. 'i 


Eot;. ' ■'■ •> 




\ • .• 


i;: - i5vi • 


f 

•* . • K. 

J V ^ 


• • 




-•> 


• * • • . 
v 


vKi/'p ^ ^ • . ■ • '• ' >. 


^ • 




* . • 
jr - ► 

■t 

i # 

,• • <* 

/i ..^ 


■' ■ r-r: ^ 

■;. ^ '. ■ : ■ 



■,4r ■ ■ -’'iv:* 








} . 




* 


• > 

T 


V ’ •s-.r 

• '■/. V. -v 


V S 


.*. / )-x * 


.1 



•<. > 

, . 


» 




u. 1 r 


• •( . 'ACiwiT^-^-', ' • ' '■ -^ : '.i; - ."'4- ‘V V 





TT.V: 


* W •’ 


'A' •■ 




• '..v 





f ..r ’; 


- ' 


/• • • • ' ’ 

/ 4 ^ - 

V- ;=< '► 

■»»V ■ 


•«# 

f. %. 


f 


» 5 ^ 


< ;• 


*> « 


'' 4 i 


-r' 


« * 




-- f 







4 


• f 


f 


♦ • 


*/ 


• \ 

* ■ • 

:‘ A-*"' 

■ 


f 


r 


'.V 



sl<" ' 

4 


V 

r 


r /■ ■■■ 




♦ « 


‘ .0 



. *' 


X 


,* 


\ s 


I 


f 



> 1 


5^.4 


.. ^'■- 




.'./•- 


I 

V; 


• j 






»« 




- '. 


1 '• tiftf*'; -it 


•« 

' y 


4 « 


». ' 

^ 1 

. \# 


ft * 



■' ''iS 

J.j, 

‘ • t f “W 

, \‘^m 


0 • » ' A . • 

'■‘V’ •i' -i.AiJ’ ■ ■ ^ ' 


LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 


ODOED7E"3ab7 


♦ 




